


Before the Snow Melts

by KeanBlade



Series: Color of Vermilion- AU's of the au color in red. [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, BAMF Tobirama, Chakra kink, Enthusiastic Consent, Fluff, Multi, Supportive Uchiha Madara, Time Travel, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2020-07-17 09:57:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 22,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19951393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeanBlade/pseuds/KeanBlade
Summary: A second chance at doing things right is a gift Madara has no intention of wasting. And if that means never letting Tobirama out of his sight, well, he's not exactly complaining.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sharked](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sharked/gifts).



> Goes Au in 'runs in the blood' at the begining of chapter 5.  
> Also, needs more editing if I keep working on it
> 
> If you haven't read the 'color in red' series the most important things are that after he wounded Izuna Tobirma chose to healed him and Izuna killed Tobirama in the process. The village was still founded based off of Tobirama's notes and Madara fell in love with him was he got to know Tobirama after his death- in part from the notes. Madara still left eventually and the 4th Shanobi war did start but there was a lot of differences from canon. Tobirama got brought back but was wounded.

Madara froze, for the first time in his life he just, froze. He couldn't think. All he could see was white hair and below that Hashirama’s fingers shoved through Tobirama’s chest. It was like a nightmare he had never thought to have, getting Tobirama (and it was Tobirama, not only was his chakra unmistakable but no one else could ever have that particular head tilt, that specific mixed look of analytical curiosity and faint concern, god, it was Tobirama) back, getting to see him looking back, getting to feel his arms and the brush of his hair, and then to lose him again in the same breath. Madara couldn’t bring himself to look at anyone else even when Hashirama pulled his arm back; he didn’t even care what Hashirama did, he could kill him for all Madara cared, it didn’t matter. He dropped to the ground cradling Tobirama to his chest, the rest of the world faded away and all that was left was clever red eyes “you can’t do this to me” he whispered desperately “please Tobirama, you can’t do this to me.” Tobirama looked deeply confused “I don’t understand. Why do you care?” Madara laughed wetly “You fool, what did you think would happen when you died? How dare you die before I had a chance to get to know you in person? How dare you make me fall in love with you after you died?” Tobirama’s mouth fell open in shocked disbelief. It was so clear to Madara that he couldn’t believe what he was hearing and Madara wanted to, to, to, something! Something to make things different than this!

And then he made the mistake of looking up. The shikigami approaching them stopped, looking (in so much as a death spirit can look anything) a little surprised to be noticed, but the thing was, Madara had the Rinnegan. He could see shit like you wouldn’t believe, a death god wasn’t surprising, but it was something he refused to take sitting down. He tucked Tobirama more tightly to his chest, shot a sharp Rinnegan look at Hashirama to get him to hold still and stay out of it, and looked at the shikigami. “I want something from you.” He told the reaper “I want more time; I don’t care about the rest of the world but I refuse to accept that this is the only time I get with him.” Tobirama made a soft confused noise into his chest that he completely ignored except to hold him improbably closer. “He deserves better damnit!”

The shikigami looked at him for a long, long, moment, and then nodded. “Very well. The Sage already changed the intended order of the world and you do have the Rinnegan which bends even death to its power. It shall be as you wish.” Madara gaped at the being. He hadn’t actually expected that to work! It raised its hand and Madara curled around Tobirama as best he could “Both of us or neither!” he shouted. The shikigami seemed to shrug and they were plunged into darkness. For a moment he saw a different plane; a dark expanse of water with a glowing figure sitting (floating) a little way away. When Madara looked down for a second he saw another man in his reflection, a man with long brown Uchiha hair and a robe decorated with tomoe, but Tobirama shifted where he was leaning against Madara and the strange reflection washed away. Madara had just a moment to see their proper reflection (he liked it, the look of them leaning on each other and standing without all the weight of clan expectations) before they plunged down through the water and the visceral shock of being so suddenly submerged made his hands close spasmatic. They closed on nothing. Tobirama was gone.

Madara _screamed_ and as he did the water around him turned to fire. When the wash of light faded a little sounds filtered in, sounds he hadn’t heard quite like this in centuries, the distinctive sound of a Uchiha/Senju battle (it sounded nothing like any other battle Madara had ever been in, maybe it was fear and maybe it was long experience but Madara would swear that nothing else sounded the same). Madara spun absent mindedly blocking a strike from Hashirama and searching for- _there_! A flash of white. He exploded across the battlefield completely ignoring anyone in his way; he was _not_ going to miss his chance this time damnit! Tobirama was already looking towards the Uchiha, his clever mind working when Madara skidded to a stop in front of him, got a firm grip on his armor with one hand and wrapped the other around the back of his neck. He had a half second to see the shock in red eyes before he yanked Tobirama into a bruising kiss.

It was amazing. Like unrealistically, unbelievably good. And the moment Tobirama caught on (Madara was glad the albino was so quick on the up take it hardly took any time at all) he was shoving back into Madara’s hold, hands knotting in his long, long, hair and lips pressing insistently if somewhat clumsy at Madara’s own. Any thought of weapons was forgotten (ridiculous in shinobi) all of Madara’s world narrowed into teaching Tobirama about the push and pull of lips, and gods above he was a fast learner! Madara shifted dropping one hand to his hip and rubbing his thumb over the pulse point on Tobirama’s neck, tilting his head a little more and carefully nipping at one thin lip. The delightful shiver that got him rather drove all other thought from his head except seeing what would happen when he licked his way in and deepened the kiss; a muffled whimper and sudden increase of weight as Tobirama leaned on him was the answer (and holy flame he was responsive!). Madara wanted to take him apart; he wanted to see if there was more of those red lines, he wanted to see what that beautiful skin looked like spread beneath him, he wanted to see if he could what sounds he could make the reserved man give him, and this time he was damn well going to get what he wanted! He was not letting Tobirama out of his sight. Hell no.

Battle awareness honed by years away from the comfort of clan or village let him block any attacks with great swathes of white hot flame (though if they didn’t stop he was calling Susanoo, it wouldn’t be a missuse to just stand in its ribcage and kiss Tobirama anyway) without thinking though the attacks petered out the longer he and Tobirama just stood there and fell into an increasingly passionate kiss. It was only when they had stopped all together for a bit now that it occurred to Madara to maybe look around and see what was happening. Pulling away from the younger man was physically painful, and the pathetic whine he gave as he tried to follow Madara’s lips _really didn’t help_ , but the picture of him eyes dazed and lips red and slick from kissing was the best thing Madara’s Sharingan had ever seen. The way he was leaning heavily on Madara and seemed sufficiently dazed to just look blankly happy made something old and tired in his chest purr with contentedness. Madara planned to put that look on his face as often as humanly possible. And then some if he could manage it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I write fast and don't edit much- this is a place for me to not have to worry too much about perfection and just enjoy it- so things can be mangled at times. (I've got a wonky brain that can't see symbols as well, so I frequently can't even see mistakes) That's not something that's likely to change any time soon, so if imperfect writing puts you off this probably isn't for you


	2. Chapter 2

It took Hashirama’s tentative voice saying his name several times to get Madara to look away from Tobirama’s face, but eventually he dragged his eyes away to look at his former(?) friend. “ _What_?” he snarled aggressively, tightening his grip on Tobirama’s hip (it was rather easier to hold on to than he liked, even for a man as sim and fit as he was Tobirama’s hip was too sharp under the layers of cloth. Madara was going to make him eat more) when the other man shifted like he was going to pull away “No.” he told the albino firmly “Stay.” Tobirama hesitated a little; most of the happiness had faded away in exchange for uncertainty (Madara hadn’t forgotten that Tobirama hadn’t believed him when he said he loved him) but Madara didn’t know how to fix that right now so he slid his arm around that too thin waist before he turned back to Hashirama (this would be so much easier without the bulky armor). Hashirama was staring at them with an utterly poleaxed look “Um, Madara? You two…. Know each other?” (Madara didn’t miss that Hashirama was asking him and not Tobirama) Madara grinned as a terrible, terrible, idea occurred to him “No. I don’t _know_ him yet. But I intend too as soon as possible” he leered. Hashirama went white and swayed a little making a faint squeaking noise, but it was the high pitched tea kettle sound Izuna made that got his attention; Hikaku had an arm around Izuna’s waist and a hand over his mouth both of which Izuna was fighting like a madman to get free of. Upon seeing he had his brother’s attention he managed to tear himself free “ _What did you do to my brother you freak!?”_ he shrieked at Tobirama, Madara felt the albino freeze, going completely ridged and pulling back from Madara. “ _You did something! No way he would be anywhere near you if you didn’t do something!”_ Madara could _feel_ his brother’s words hit Tobirama (apparently that jarred Hashirama out of his shock because he made a muted sounds of rage) and that was apparently all Tobirama could take because he yanked away actually breaking free of Madara’s hold. He lunged after the younger man and caught him just as his hands come up in a seal Madara had only seen once but knew all to well anyway, he couldn’t let him get away- he might never have another chance to catch Tobirama again if he left, not when the younger man’s wall had had time to come up again.

“No!” he said fiercely “No, when would you have had time to do something to me?! And it wouldn’t have taken anyway.” He said pointedly tipping his head so the hair covering his right eye slid to the side- his Rinnegan eye (he knew he still had it, the faint ache and tug on his chakra was unmistakable)- making his point was clear: with the Rinnegan all perception altering jutsu would fail in seconds. Certainly wouldn’t last this long. “I don’t, I don’t understand.” Tobirama murmured clearly torn “You didn’t even know who I was.” “Not at this time no, but you have no idea how much of yourself you left behind. It was easy to love you once I had a chance.” And Tobirama _broke_. He shuddered, eyes wet and slipped back into Madara’s arms, hiding his face in Madara’s neck and hesitantly winding fingers into long hair. The Uchiha hummed a little and rubbed his back gently, trying not to react to the wetness he could feel against his skin. He was a little surprised that Izuna hadn’t disturbed them yet, he had fully expected to have to fend off an attack from his furious brother. But for all this faults in regards to his brother calling him a freak was apparently not something Hashirama would stand for, he was standing in front of Izuna with a look of deep anger on his face as he looked the younger man, Izuna was wrapped head to toe in roots and branches- even his mouth was covered- and Hashirama took a deep breath “Don’t. You. Call. Him. That.” Madara had forgotten that Hashirama really could be frightening it had been so long since he saw it last (also, given the Rinnegan and all the long years he had lived that Hashirama hadn’t Madara could defeat him now even if he couldn’t have first time around). Mostly Madara was glad to see Hashirama defending his brother at all.

Still. “Izuna. I’m with Hashi. Call him that again and the koi pond will be the least of your worries.” The look Hashirama sent him was shocked but thankful, Izuna just looked betrayed. “Um. Madara-sama? Could you maybe explain what is going on? It’s just. This is a little confusing.” Hikaku asked hesitantly. Madara frowned “He’s mine. I Claim him” (Tobirama shivered against him) “anyone that tries to take him from me will regret it. Anyone that wants to tell me I’m under a jutsu can pit their Sharingan against mine” that had the desired effect, no one in the clan would want to try that- not with his infamous temper- and his Claim meant that they knew better than to argue here; there were rules for disputing a Claim and a challenge on a battlefield didn’t fall in that. Madara nodded firmly “We’re done here for the day. Get ready to pull back- Hashi, go home to your fiancé. Touka, you come with us, I’m taking Tobirama with me.” Tobirama started against him and Madara tightened a hand on his neck (got a shiver, hmmm) and whispered in his ear “No. I’m not letting you out of my sight for a very, very, long time so either you come with me or I go with you and that would be a mess.” While Hashirama gaped at him and Touka- who looked unsettled that he knew who she was- nodded immediately (she at least knew her baby brother well enough to know that given the hand fisted in the Uchiha’s hair and the way he was hiding from everyone against him- a level of trust she was astonished to see- he would only leave the older man if someone made him feel guilty and would then torture himself about it) she had no intention of letting him anywhere in the Uchiha compound alone, especially given Izuna’s expression.

“Hashi.” She snapped “Get your act together, I’ll be with him and it’s not like the Uchiha is going to hurt him. Hashi! Tobira trusts him.” She said over the clan head’s protests. “Hashirama, send me a hawk, we’ll talk peace.” Madara added firmly. Hashirama looked torn between anger at Izuna, worry for his brother, and joy over the idea of the fruition of his dream. “Oh” he whispered “Oh, you’ll take care of him? Promise?” “On my Sharingan” Hashirama started at that vow but his shoulders relaxed a little and he turned to the other Senju to start collecting them for the pull back home. “Izuna. Don’t do anything stupid.” Madara said to his brother sternly as the roots receded into the earth. Izuna shot Tobirama a poisonous look but turned to the edge of the forest without saying anything. With Hikaku sorting out the Uchiha and Touka standing at their back he returned his full attention to the man in his arms (he never really _stopped_ paying attention to him, just split his focus) “Tobira” he murmured coaxing the white head up from his shoulder “you ok with this?” Tobirama huffed a laugh “Yes Madara, I’m ok with this, more than” he tilted his head and pressed a light kiss to Madara’s jaw. “Just, I’m tired.” “You can sleep as soon as we get back to the compound” Madara promised “and eat something, you’re to thin for comfort. Just bear with it a little longer.” He cupped that lovely foxy face in his hands and (gods, he had wanted this for so long having it seemed almost surreal, if it was a dream Madara never wanted to wake) dropped a brush of a kiss on each red streaked cheekbone before sliding down to his lips and carefully, carefully, kissed him again. Not as hot as the first but every bit as deep; it was addicting, kissing Tobirama like this (kissing Tobirama in any way, every way) he wanted to stay here in this moment until the sun died and the moon fell into the sea.

He couldn’t of course, though Hikaku did look like he felt bad about interrupting them they had to get the wounded and dead (of which here were mercifully few) home and Madara would need sleep soon- the broken Rinnegan still drained his chakra faster than he wanted (maybe Tobirama would have an idea on how to fix it? He _was_ a genius)- so reluctantly he let Tobirama ease back with one last quick peck. Touka was watching them with too keen eyes when they turned to her but she said nothing (and after all the time he had spent with her in his last life he knew that as long as he made Tobirama happy she would have his back) and she fell in on Tobirama’s other side as they moved towards the clan compound. (Tobirama reached out hesitantly and brushed their fingers together, flicking a pleased glance at Madara out of the corner of red eyes when he locked their fingers together.) What ever happened next Madara intended to hold on to this, he wouldn’t let _anyone_ take this chance from him.


	3. Chapter 3

Madara was proud of his clan members, they were ready to go and were already moving back to the compound when Touka, Tobirama, and Madara joined them. Hikaku fell in next to them as they ran to give the report of the dead and wounded casting nothing more than uncertain looks at Tobirama as he spoke. Madara felt a little distant form all of it, going back in time was a bit of a shock even after everything Madara had see in the long decades of his first life but the longer they were here the more he was finding it easy to sit in this moment and catch up with what was going on in this time period; they were a few scant months from the battle that had killed Tobirama the first time but nothing else of particular importance had happened in those months the first time so it shouldn’t make a difference if he fucked with things (not that _he_ cared, but Tobirama probably would and Madara had no intention of joining the ranks of people who didn’t care what Tobirama wanted). The run itself was quiet after than though Touka’s increasingly interrogatory glances were a little unnerving; he had a half formed idea to use this eyes to show her the future that would never be, it would be nice to have her on their side, but he need to ask Tobirama first so he had to do that as soon as he could.

When they arrived at the compound (ignoring the looks he was getting followed by two Senju one of which he was pulling along by the hand- Tobirama had gotten self conscious and tried to let go, Madara refused) he stopped in front of the hall of healing and pulled Tobirama to the side tucking the younger man against him (fucking armor meant he couldn’t feel him at all, it had to go) to murmur in his ear “There is a way to show memories to someone with the Sharingan, I want to show Touka the future” Tobirama hesitated “You knew her there?” “Yes, we were….. close I guess. Kindred souls of a sort. Neither one of us could even begin to let go of you.” The younger man blushed at the honest words ducking his head to hid his face in Madara’s hair again (he really, really hoped that became a habit) “ok” he whispered “If you want my input, ok” Madara bit back another curse, Tobirama should not be so surprised to have someone ask his opinion. Actually “Does that not happen often?” Tobirama pulled back and looked to the side shiftily but before Madara could press him on it they were interrupted by the aching sound of a child weeping.

Tobirama’s head came up immediately, discomfort completely forgotten in favor of finding the child that was making that heartbreaking noise. The cluster of Uchiha that always collected in front of the healers halls after a battle to hear news of loved ones (made larger by the word being passed on the there was _Senju_ in the compound) shifted as they tried to catch the child racing through them, but it was Tobirama who caught the child reaching out with that famous speed and hooking his hands under the boys arms (the Uchiha stiffened, but the clan head looked unconcerned) and twisting with his momentum to tuck the boy close against him pressing the sobbing face gently into the fur ruff he always wore. Tobirama shifted completely ignoring the people around him (he trusted Madara to watch his back, Madara felt warm with that knowledge) as he rested a hand on the back if the boys head and used the other to hold him to his hip and hummed gently.

It took the child a few minuets to calm and the Uchiha gradually lost their tension as all the white haired shinobi did was rock gently back and forth focused completely on the boy in his arms (and Madara-sama was smiling, it had been so long since any of them had seen that that it almost hurt to realize it had left). When the boy calmed a little from his hysterical crying Tobirama tugged him back a little so he could see the small face, “Now then, what is the matter little one?” Madara had know that Tobirama would love Kagami. His face bunched up in tears again but he fought them “My. My mother. They say- they say she’s- she’s- she’- going to die!” by the last words he had deteriorated into tears again and Tobirama hummed softly again “Is you mother hurt? Yes? Is she in here for her hurt? Alright, well then why don’t you take me too her and I’ll see what I can do, yes?” Kagami stared at him (the Uchiha stared at him) “You can help her?” he whispered in a tiny voice. Tobirama nodded seriously “Do you know who I am? Your clan calls me the White Ghost because I always know what is happening and I can feel your mother, she’s about half way down near a window isn’t she?” Kagami gave a star struck nod and even Madara- who had long thought that he was passed underestimating Tobirama- was a bit astonished, his sensor skills were that good without even expanding his chakra? (god why did the Uchiha have such a weakness for deadly things?!) (Hikaku was giving him sympathetic looks now, no wonder the clan head was head over heels). “Alright” said Tobirama firmly “I can feel her and while she is badly wounded it doesn’t have to kill her, she is bleeding in her brain and while it can be fatal I have suiton affinity and very good control. I can take the blood out of her skull.”

The Uchiha were dead silent. The implications of that….. it was well known that Tobirama was terrifyingly fast and impossibly intelligent (the fact that he almost always had something new to use on Izuna was easy proof of that), that he was a sensor of great power (though apparently they hadn’t know how much) and deadly with water he could pull from the very air. None of them had thought about what that might mean. That he could speak of moving their blood with such ease….. and that he had never before used such a skill against them. Perhaps there was more to the “Demon” than they knew. Madara stepped forward and pressed a chaste kiss to Tobirama’s lips and ran his hand over Kagami’s hair “If you would I would be in debt to you darling.” The albino sent him a chastising glance, “There are no debts between us bright hawk.” He turned quickly embarrassed to be so open with his emotions and therefore missed Madara stumbling over his own two feet with a utterly stupid look on his face as he followed Tobirama into the hall. Touka rolled her eyes but followed them anyway. (the Uchiha relaxed a little. It was still confusing but clearly the clan head was _gone_ on the Senju- and honestly they could sympathize, he was so _scary_ ….- and it was reassuring to see that the Senju was definitely smitten right back. ‘no debts’ indeed.)

The hall was quiet except for the muffled whimpers of the new wounded and the whisper of healer’s footsteps as Tobirama lead them unerringly to Kagami’s mother rubbing a hand down the boys back when he saw his mother’s pale face and whimpered. (behind Madara Hikaku muttered to Touka “Can he really tell who Kagami’s mother is?” Touka snorted “He knows the ancestry of every ninja in this compound and if he opens his chakra the whole of Fire County” Madara bit back a shudder at the thought of that much power. The middle of the healer’s halls was a terrible, _terrible_ place to get his blood up.) Tobirama knelt next to the woman’s bed with a thoughtful sound; Madara stepped forward and gently took Kagami balancing the boy on his hip instead so Tobirama had his hands available. Glancing at one of his clansman as they bustled up to him “Madara-sama I don’t think……” his voice trailed off as he watched Tobirama make a slow set of hand signs and carefully shift his hands over Sukumi’s face the faint glow of chakra sinking into her head. A thin stream of blood flowed slowly out of her nose in time with the movements of his hands and he let it wrap around one hand as the blood petered out; it circled his hand in a masterful display of control and then, and then Madara understood how he had knelt on a battlefield with a sword in his stomach and healed Izuna's grievous wound, because even as he held the suiton chakra in one hand he made another set of hand signs with the other and placed a hand glowing green on Sukumi’s forehead healing her even as he used two kinds of chakra at once. It was beyond beautiful and Madara wished that he had been using his Sharingan so that he could be sure of never loosing the memory.


	4. Chapter 4

When Sukumi was healed and Kagami was allowed to curl up next to his mother with his head on her chest to hear her heartbeat and Tobirama was leaning tiredly on Madara- controlling two kinds of chakra so precisely was doable but tiring- the healer approached them again. He had been silent ever since Tobirama had started to work but now he came to them with a look of open astonishment on his face “Thank you Senju-sama, she would have died we were sure now…. it seems she will recover almost completely if given time. Even if she can’t run missions again her son will not be an orphan, I can’t, I can’t express how grateful I am.” Tobirama stared at the man shocked “Darling?” Madara murmured in his ear “I don’t, I, I didn’t do it for thanks.” He stuttered confused. Jiro frowned “Still you have it, you healed one of those you would otherwise kill. Thank you.” Tobirama still seemed shocked and an ugly suspicion was growing in Madara “I am never giving you back.” He said matter of fact “They don’t treasure you as they should.” Tobirama sent him a bewildered glance “I was just doing my duty. Its my job to help heal when precision work is needed, and brother can’t do that with mokuton regeneration” he frowned looking around at his audience “What? Brother doesn’t have any gift for detail work, he can’t exactly channel that much chakra carefully.” “I have just as much chakra as he does, and I can still do some detail work. Nothing like you, but still.” Madara said dryly (note to self, compliments made Tobirama blush and freeze up) “Yes but your chakra is much denser than his.” Tobirama said sensibly. Madara sighed, he wasn’t going to make any progress here clearly. He’d try again another time, maybe when Tobirama didn’t look quite so much like he was going to fall over. Even as Madara opened his mouth to take his albino back to the main house Tobirama turned to the Jiro “Is there anyone else that needs help?” the healer glanced at Madara “Only Mikoto and Kyushu, but, are you low on chakra?” Tobirama interrupted him even as he pushed off of Madara and turned to head to where Mikoto was (how did he know?) “I’m fine, I’ve healed more with less.” Jiro shot an appalled look at Madara who swore under his breath and followed Tobirama (when he took the younger man’s elbow he was both frustrated and pleased to feel Tobirama lean on him a little), Touka gave an aggravated sigh but followed them and behind then he heard Kagami- he hadn’t realized the boy was listening- say “I want to be him when I grow up.” in a worshipful voice. And shook his head. Apparently, somethings never changed, at least this time he could learn from Tobirama in person rather than from stories of a dead man. (Madara’s hand tightened on Tobirama, not this time. Not if he had to make everyone in the five countries sit down and listen to Tobirama lecture them one by one.)

By the time Tobirama was satisfied that he had healed everyone he needed too he was somehow looking better than he had after healing Sukumi- which made Madara madder than a wet hawk, it was like this was something he was so used to that he had an entire routine to deal with it- and Touka was following him so closely she brushed against Madara (who had refused to let him go) from time to time. “No” said Madara firmly. “Everyone else will be fine. We are going to the clan head house you and I are sleeping after I explain things to Touka a little and then we will eat after we wake up and deal with everything else then.” It looked like Tobirama might protest (it was like no one had ever sent him to rest before) but Madara had a secret weapon; he shot Touka an apologetic glance and then drew Tobirama into a kiss. That definitely had the intended effect as his Senju went limp against him draping his arms around Madara’s shoulders and tangling a pale hand in his hair. Madara hummed onto the kiss and pulled him closer by the hips- of fuck, right armor- before dragging himself away with one last nip to pale lips. “Come on. Armor off. No one will need you here.” Tobirama nodded dazedly and let Madara lead him from the healing hall (Touka sent Madara an impressed glance, she hadn’t ever seen Tobirama comply with someone dragging from what he considered his duties until he collapsed).

Madara quite enjoyed the walk back to the house greatly, the impressed looks (yes, Tobirama was very impressive, and completely Madara’s) were only a little interspersed will distrust or distaste (he knew that wouldn’t always be true, many that would argue were not out at the moment). But the old traditional looking structure was noticeably less welcoming “Izuna’s home then I guess.” Madara muttered a little grumpy at the thought, he didn’t want to argue with his little brother right now- he wanted a nap with Tobirama in his arms, he wanted to get Touka on the same page as them and to ask Tobira about a way to fix his eye so it didn’t send him into a coma every few months. And he _really_ wanted a chance to kiss Tobirama more, a _lot_ more. So, first things first; he led them into his bedroom and prodded Touka into helping him get the armor off as he explained everything in as few words as he could. “Yes, I have proof, I’ll show you in a moment.” He gently manhandled Tobirama into lying down with his head in Madara’s lap (that was so nice…) “Will you let me pull you into a genjutsu? It’s easiest that way.” She looked at him for a long moment, then at Tobirama who was only a few minutes from falling asleep- something he would never have done without trust. She nodded slowly and Madara carefully called chakra up into his left eye and drew her into a genjutsu; it was different using it to show memories- the sky never went red if it was done right- and he had to figure out what parts to show her (he just settled for most of it) but when it was done she took a shuddering breath and closed her eyes tightly. Madara watched her for a minuet before letting his chakra crash back out of his eyes without any precision at all feeling it lap out of him as he did so and not really caring (Touka could deal with it) right up until Tobirama shuddered and gasped against him pressing his face into Madara’s leg with a whine. Madara gaped at him and Touka snorted “He’s always had a _thing_ for your chakra, when he was upset or overwhelmed as a teenager, he would reach for you and focus on your chakra. He said it was the only time he felt warm. One-time Hashi wasn’t being careful with his chakra and had a bit of a temper tantrum (Hashi’s chakra feels nothing like this, its expansive and blindingly bright, it could be hard on Tobira) it gave Tobirama a horrible headache. He looked awful; he was shivering when he left so once Hashi was over his snit I went to find him to make sure he was ok. I found him sitting at the far end of the garden looking heat drunk; truly he was flushed and more relaxed than I had ever seen. Silly boy wasn’t even paying attention to what he said. He told me he was submerging as much of his senses in your chakra as he could. He said it was probably better than sex.” She said with a smirk.

Madara licked his lips all sorts of wonderful ideas running though his head. “Ok. Um. well. You understand? Yes? Ok leave now then.” Her smirk widened all signs of sadness buried (not gone, just pushed to the side for now) and stood up leisurely and swaggered out of the room. (she didn’t go far, she would guard their sleep even if Madara didn’t really need it, she didn’t trust Izuna.) Madara looked down at Tobirama’s slowly fading flush and reached out with his chakra flaring it carefully over the younger man, the effect was instantaneous and astonishing- he gasped, and the flush came rearing back. Madara groaned, god that was _so_ hot, and Tobirama clawed his way up Madara’s shirt until he could fall into a uncoordinated kiss; licking sloppy at Madara’s lips and shivering as Madara pressed his chakra into the albino and only to him. Apparently, that was even better as it got a desperate whine of his name, Madara gave up on pretending he was going to go to sleep before he had a chance to see red eyes lost in pleasure. He tugged at Tobirama until the younger man was on his back and Madara could fold over him watching as he dragged a chakra covered hand down his chest, shoving at the dusty black shirt and pulling it over his head with only minimal help- which, Madara should check- “Is this good? Do you want this?” (he was never going to be one of the people that didn’t care) “ _yes_. Wonderful. Ma-ah-dar-a, come-“ which ok that worked. Madara kissed him and swept a chakra down his body again, carefully focused only on Tobirama- that seemed even better than just generally flaring it- “I’m going to make you feel good.” Madara murmured into a pale ear “So good you can’t even feel the hurt anymore.” He kissed a red streaked cheek “And I’m going to do it just. _Like. This.”_ Another sweep of chakra and Tobirama arched, clawing with one hand at the blankets and snapping the other to knot in Madara’s long hair, the sharp tug made him hiss- that felt so good, and combined with the look on that foxy face…. fuck, this was about Tobira but- Madara leaned farther over to press their lips together and let his chakra roll over Tobirama in one firm prolonged press. Which was apparently all it took. Tobirama shuddered and gasped, arching and pulling more on Madara’s hair as pleasure rolled through him.

Madara pulled back and looked at his face ignoring his own aching desire- it was easier than he expected, it was so much better to see the look on Tobirama’s face, all red spit slick lips and dazed eyes. A light flush on his cheek and all stress momentarily removed (the absence of it was startling). Tobirama lazily lifted his head to press a light kiss to Madara’s lips. “Best first time ever.” He mumbled and pulled an unresistingly shocked Madara down to curl against. Madara stared at the ceiling. First time. That was……. _so fucking hot._ The possessive thing that lived in all Uchiha purring and delighted. It was much harder to go to sleep than it would have been a few minuets ago. (Tobirama was going to hate sleeping in those pants later. Oh well.)


	5. Chapter 5

Tobirama would have probably been more upset about the pants thing except he was so surprised to wake up and see Madara. It _sucked_. It sucked to wake up and see Tobirama staring at him with huge shocked eyes “What?” rasped Madara. “You’re still here.” Tobirama said blankly. Madara stared at him. _What?_ “Did you think I wouldn’t be?” he asked slowly, he was starting to get used to the sinking feeling when he found _another_ place where people had hurt Tobirama (why were there so many? He had thought he had found all the places Hashirama had messed up but apparently there were still bits missing, though a lot of it at this point he seemed to be stumbling over shit that the Sanju had done that Hashirama hadn’t shut down) but even thought it was getting familiar he still _hated_ it. Tobirama shifted uncomfortably, “I don’t mean- it’s just- I-“ Madara sighed and reached over and tugged Tobirama over to lie down on his chest. “I’m not going anywhere darling. You aren’t going to be able to go anywhere without me, I’m going to drive you nuts when all you want is a little time alone. Just, stick with me and I’ll prove it to you.” Tobirama examined his eyes for a moment before leaning up and pressing a lingering kiss to his lips. “Take me to the baths, I’m disgusting.” And Madara laughed so hard the pouting albino pushed him out of the bed.

He was able to make it up to his new lover with the promise of a hot bath (“Honestly, we’re all fire affinity, hot water isn’t something we run out of.”) and clean clothes even if he had to borrow Madara’s. Touka was leaning against the wall in front of the door and rolled her eyes when she saw them spill out the door but waved them down the hall “You’ve only been out for a few hours, I sent anyone that came looking packing. Go wash and then you can answer questions at dinner.” Madara wanted to be surprised by Touka’s ability to get shit done but honestly it was completely in character from when he knew her that she would somehow manage to get even Madara’s stubborn clansmen to listen. So he just rolled his eyes and tugged a grumbling Tobirama after him; honestly, if Madara had had even the slightest of inklings that an orgasm would make Tobirama open up to him enough to _grumble_ around him Madara wouldn’t have waited half as long as he had. Also, if he had had any clue what Tobirama looked like in pleasure he wouldn’t have been _able_ to wait. So, maybe good. Madara might have a slight side of exhibitionist tangled up in his possessiveness- though that was more a need to make everyone see how _amazing_ Tobirama was than to keep him from other people- but there was no guaranty _Tobirama_ did and Madara fully intended to make the albino understand the idea of consent in all things if it- well, not killed _him_ \- he couldn’t see Tobirama if he was dead-, but maybe killed Hashirama? (Tobirama didn’t expect people to take his feelings or opinion into consideration without fighting for it. Tobirama didn’t expect to have people want to thank him or want him to take care of himself. Tobirama didn’t expect his _consent_ to matter all that much. Madara planned to change that.)

The bath fully met with Tobirama’s approval if his happy little hum was anything to go by (why was someone so terrifying so _freacking cute?!)_ and he immediately started striping of his hastily replaced shirt off and then grimaced at the pants thing. Madara just stood and stared; he hadn’t seen it much earlier with the way he had been folded over the slimmer man, but he was a perfect pearl white with only a few streaks of brilliant red to set off sharp (too sharp) bones. God Madara wanted to _bite_ the red lines flowing down from his spine and around to set off the harsh shape of his hips; he swallowed hard with a suddenly dry mouth as he watched Tobirama move and stepped forward before he even thought about it plastering himself against the pale back wrapping his arms around Tobirama and pressing his face into the pale neck. “Madara? Love?” Madara shivered and tightened his hold, “’m ok, just. I had to go without you for _years_. And I can’t. just.” Tobirama hummed again and smoothed his hands down Madara’s arms to tangle their fingers together. “I’m never going to choose to leave you Madara. I’ll choose you every time I’m given a choice, every time.” Madara laughed wetly into his neck “Well then, I’ll just have to make sure you always have a choice.” He said and pulled away with a quick press of lips to vulnerable vertebrae.

It was easier than Madara had expected to wash without letting his eyes do more than linger, or it was right up until Tobirama turned to him with an intent look in sharp red eyes armed with a hairbrush (where had he found that?) and a bottle of the soap Madara used in his hair most often. “You sit still, I have wanted to do this for far to long to give up a chance now.” Tobirama said in the voice most often used to direct battles. Well. It wasn't like Madara was going to _protest;_ even if he hadn’t been so pleased to see Tobirama being a bit more assertive in their relationship he would have had a hard time turning this down. (He still remembered the dreams he had years after Tobirama’s death of those pale elegant fingers in his hair. He had never quite forgotten that feeling, and the chance to have it for real….) Tobirama settled comfortably sitting behind him on the edge of the sunken bath with his legs on either side of Madara and ran his fingers through the damp dark hair; “It’s not as heavy as I expected” he murmured combing down the length of it one more time and then collected a precise twist of water with a controlled rush of chakra (oh. Ok. So it didn’t do for him what it did for Tobirama but he got the reason the other man liked that so much now, it was lovely to feel that cool regulated chakra lap at him as it moved past) directing the water to soak Madara’s hair.

It was hands down the nicest thing Madara had ever felt to have Tobirama wash his hair; long fingers and careful suiton and happy little noises as he worked. Madara never wanted to move. He was melting. He was going to call sassoono and make it guard the door and they could just stay here forever. Tobirama gave a pleased hum (Madara _loved_ that little sound) and a firm tug on the root of Madara’s hair and his eyes shot open as his mouth dropped and he sucked in a desperate breath. oh, that. Tobirama did it again and he couldn’t have contained the broken moan for anything. “You know, it seems to me that things are a little uneven right now bright hawk. You were so nice to me earlier and I haven’t had a chance to pay you back” Tobirama purred in his ear, Madara gasped “Not about _fair_ dear heart- ah- no- no debts between us- ah- _again_ ” the albino bit at his ear gently “mmmm, well how about because I want to?” another firm tug and now Tobirama’s foot was moving across Madara’s chest. He realized where it was headed right as Tobirama rasped in his ear “I want to see what you look like when I take you apart.” A firm roll of the ball of his foot at Madara’s groin and the Uchiha completely forgot the conversation. (This was so much better than he would have hoped, with Tobirama curled over him lovely hands in his hair and watching intently as Madara lost it under his touch. It was intoxicating having Tobirama here with him, intoxicating to know that Tobirama wanted him so much- and he did, the albino’s breath had gone hard and ragged with arousal as he looked at Madara-, intoxicating to know that they could have this anytime for as long as they wanted)

Madara came apart in Tobirama’s hold with a sharp moan and slumped against him in lazy pleasure. “You’re welcome to my hair anytime” he slurred, still happily incoherent. Tobirama groaned at his ear, “God you’re amazing.” Madara smirked and collected his muscles enough to turn and push up until he could lazily kiss that lovely, lovely mouth. (And if he dragged a hand up and wrapped it around Tobirama, well, he was just teaching his new lover the ways of these things. It had nothing to do with how amazing Tobirama looked in his fist.)

It was a while after that- after the albino drew the water from his hair with his prodigious control and brushed it again looking thrilled- that Madara watched a little mystified as Tobirama brushed a finger over a knot of red ink on his arm just beneath his elbow (he had a matching one on the other arms) and produced a new change of clothes and a bottle of some kind of oil that smelled of rosehips. Tobirama saw his eyes on his arm “It’s just a small storage seal, a change of clothes, water, dry rations, my sun oil, some first aid, nothing extravagant.” Madara stared at him “You tattooed two storage seals on your arms” he said deadpan. Tobirama sent him an offended look “Only one, the other is my summoning seal. It makes sense to have the essentials.” Madara shook his head and- wait- “Did you have a hairbrush in there? You don’t have long enough hair to need a brush.” He said slowly. A flush spread slowly across Tobirama’s cheeks and he looked away, “I- ah. Well. it seemed like it might be useful. Maybe.” he was embarrassed, why was he- _oooohhhh_ “You had it on the off chance you got to brush my hair.” Madara guessed and Tobirama ducked his head and shifted uncomfortably “I- no. Well- um…. maybe.” Madara laughed harder than he could remember doing in a long time. (Tobirama didn’t even care that he was the one being laughed at, watching Madara laugh was _amazing._ )

The Uchiha stepped to Tobirama and pressed a laughing kiss to his lips. “You are a treasure. I’m marrying you.” The albino jerked back and stared at him “Oh stop it, of course I am. We’ll find a priest tomorrow and take Touka, when everyone comes around to it, we can have a big thing later for Hashirama to cry at.” Tobirama made a sharp bitten off sound and threw himself into Madara’s arms tucking his face in the other man’s hair to hid it again. “ _Yes”_


	6. Chapter 6

Tobirama was very glad he had been carrying clothes on him when Madara lead him into the main square in front of the clan heads house and he was confronted with what must have been seventy five percent of the clan, if he had been forced to face all of them in Madara's clothing it would have been much harder to keep his chin up (the fact that he had wrapped a little of his attention in Madara’s chakra to keep himself grounded was neither there nor there). He shot a glance at the Uchiha through his eyelashes and Madara- sensing his discomfort- said softly “Sorry, I forgot to warn you (don’t look at me like that! You’re very distracting!) I have to elucidate my Claim, it shouldn’t take long I’m betting you won them over earlier with the healing and Kagami thing. Also, you’re fucking gorgeous and extremely deadly, it’s amazing.” Tobirama could feel himself start to blush and dragged his eyes away from his fiancé (also, what? He was ecstatic but it still seemed so surreal, he didn’t just _get_ good things like this) to look out over the main square with the large central tree and fires burning on stone plinths at each of the cardinal directions- the Uchiha took their element affinity far more seriously than the Senju did apparently- and the gathered Uchiha waiting for their leader to speak to them.

Madara shot him a sly smile as he stepped forward and looked out over his clan “I have come to defend my Claim as it the right of any Uchiha, and this is what I have seen: Tobirama is a good man, one who wants peace and would do anything to defend it so he does not have to see children dying. He is a strong man who has never taken joy in death- unless it was the child hunters and honestly I’m on board with that- and has fought with honor for his clan. He has done nothing to deserve death that all here have not also done in defense of those we love and now we are on the path to peace and need not call him an enemy I will not do so. Also, he’s hot as fuck if you missed that somehow.” Madara nodded firmly as though that was all that was really needed to settle the argument, and the thing was, pretty much everyone was agreeing with him. _How was this enough?!_ Tobirama’s increasing anxiety was interrupted by the healer from earlier- Jiro?- when the man slipped up next to him, “Don’t worry about it, it’s an Uchiha thing. A Claim is basically what it sounds like, Hands Off (unless they are a threat of course) until everybody has a chance to explain what is going on. It’s used so that nobody kills somebody that another clan member loves because they don’t know- Uchiha get a little crazy when people they love die, especially lovers- or when the Sharingan sees micro expression or something that means they know more than everybody else. Mostly to reduce the amount of crazy revenge shit.” That.. honestly didn’t clear things up all that much, but Madara seemed to be done with listening to various people yell at him and was nodding. “Ok” Madara said firmly “But I’m still Claiming him and only a few people are disagreeing so he’s mine and we’ll be working on peace as well.” Tobirama stared at him, that was authoritarian of him but as Madara walked back to him he tossed a last comment over his shoulder, a comment that stopped every dissenting mutter that may have sprung up. “Oh, by the way, he’s my Center.”

Jiro sucked in a shocked breath next to him, and spun to stare at Tobirama with shocked, reverent eyes; Tobirama sighed, “What's that then?” Madara walked up to him with a slightly manic glint in his eyes and cupped Tobirama’s jaw in his hands looking at him with eyes full of something Tobirama couldn’t place (…. _love?_ ) “It means that you are the first thing I look for when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I think of at night. You are all that I dream of and all that I want to see. You are the Center of my Sharingan and of everything burned in my eyes you are the deepest.” Tobirama couldn’t even begin to think how to respond to that and pulled Madara into a soft kiss; well, it started soft and fell apart halfway through and straight into pure sex when Tobirama rucked one hand up under Madara’s shirt and the other knotted in his long hair. Madara’s hand released his face and curled around his ass, the feel of Madara’s strong fingers punching a moan out of Tobirama’s chest and prompting him to give a hard yank at the hair curled around his hand (oh, that was a _searing_ sound) and a firm suck at the other mans neck where he had migrated to biting livid marks. It was only when he sensed a brush of flame headed towards them that he pulled himself away (and flicked a wave of water to deal with the oncoming fire), “We keep getting interrupted.” Madara groused (“Maybe you wouldn’t be if you just had sex in the bedroom. Alone. Like most people.” Someone groused behind them, Hikaku? That explained the fire) but before Tobirama could reply he sensed _it_.

Instantly all his focus snapped away, he hadn’t forgotten about it, but he had… put it out of his mind to a certain extent and now. Now he couldn’t ignore it any longer, not when it was this close to him not when he could feel the spike of it directed at _Madara_. Tobirama called the hiraishin, appearing in a shattering fragment of light as he pinned the man coming up behind Madara before he could so much as twitch in response. Tobirama knew this man. Knew this chakra intimately, would never forget it after the way it felt spiking with sick glee as he _hunted_ Itama down like an animal- less than an animal, Tobirama had never killed an animal like that-, would never forget what it was like to run until his muscles tore and the chakra he dumped in his eyes almost blinded him as he desperately looked for his little brother, would never forget what Itama’s body had looked like when he found it. And he would never forgive that, not _ever_ ; especially not when he was fairly sure that the man had wanted to hurt Madara, Madara who Tobirama loved more than the breath in his lungs. “Tobirama?” Madara’s voice was careful as he addressed the Senju, too aware of the knife edge Tobirama balanced on; if he had had more time, expected it or not been so distracted, maybe he would have been able to treat this more diplomatically, but honestly he couldn’t bring himself to think of that at the moment. “Tobirama” Madara called again gently and Tobirama dragged his mind back to the present (a few hours were not enough to move past the confusion of the day; dead and then alive and then his brother killing him- again- and then Madara caring about him and then being back in the past again and Madara still caring about him and-), he pulled himself off of the old man and Madara immediately slid a arm around his waist, dark eyes fixed on Tobirama’s face and completely disregarding the shinobi on the ground.

“What it is darling?” Tobirama tucked his face into Madara’s hair and sucked in a desperate breath “He killed Itama, he _enjoyed_ it, I felt it. I- he was going to attack you. To _hurt_ you. Madara-“ his breath picked up, tight and on the edge of panicked; Madara rubbed a soothing hand down his back, “Yashiro, did you kill Itama?” Tobirama could feel Madara’s certainty in the coiled muscles but the old man- Yashiro- must not have because the first thing he did was try to deny “Madara-sama I don’t know what you are talking about! Are you going to take the word of a Senju over an elder of your clan?” Madara snorted “The word of my Center over the lies of an old man that has sought to undermine me for years? Did you forget that there was a time you _bragged_ about killing Butsuma’s son? All I want to know is if you made it anything other than a clean kill- which is what you were _ordered_ to do Yashiro.” The pause that followed was hard with tension and Madara pressed a kiss to Tobirama’s temple before he spoke again. “Do you deny that you were going to attack me?” Yashiro made an ugly noise on the ground and Madara had to tighten his arm on Tobirama to keep him from attacking the man.

“You would have us reduced to _nothing_!” Yashiro hissed “You would have us bow to the Senju and consort with the White Demon, you would-“ “ENOUGH. You will never speak that way on him again, and as you have attacked me-“ Yashiro cut Madara off, disregarding the firmness of his voice (Tobirama was reminded that this Madara had lived a _very_ long time after Tobirama had died, had lived and lost and burned for revenge) “You would never listen to anyone now, not when you think you can simply make choices for all of us!” Tobirama felt it happen before it did, he felt Yashiro gather his chakra and it was the work of a thought to rip the old man’s blood out of his body even as Yashiro lunged at Madara. It was a messy way to die, and not one Tobirama had seen since he was a child and used his affinity for blood the first time, he didn’t even turn to look, he didn’t need to; the ringing silence was enough to tell him hat it looked like. “You are terrifying darling, thank you.” Madara’s gentle voice made Tobirama relax into him, relief coursing through his veins (the gathered Uchiha and their collective Sharingan didn’t miss that, even now after protecting Madara he expected to be pushed away) “Hikaku, please clean up the mess, we can… address what this means for the clan tomorrow, I think we can agree that Yashiro deserved his fate. He wanted power as he always has, I think that was no secret.” The silence when he gave space to disagreed was deafening and Madara relaxed a little as well. “Tonight, we need sleep and food, everything else will wait.”


	7. Chapter 7

Madara watched Tobirama carefully, just waiting for things to fall apart; he didn’t regret that Yashiro was dead- no one seemed too upset- but he hated that Tobirama had been confronted with his brother’s death like this just when Madara was trying so hard to make the younger man feel comfortable in the clan compound and though he knew Tobirama hated being watched like this he didn’t tell Madara to stop (Tobirama really was far too good to him). Dinner was strange and strained; Izuna was stiff as a board the entire time and seemed to be trying his best to just not look at Tobirama (possibly a good choice on his part really) which really was an improvement over earlier honestly and Touka was keeping a close eye on a too quiet Tobirama (Madara hated how Tobirama picked at his food but he knew when to pick his battles and now wasn’t the time) so no one lingered after the food was taken away and as Madara made to rise and follow his lover (fiancée!) Izuna touched his arm, a pinched look on his face. Madara hesitated, but… he didn’t want his relationship with his brother here to be what it used to be in the future, if there was a chance to do better now he wanted to take it which started with _taking_ to Izuna; he glanced over but Touka was talking quietly with the albino so he turned back to his brother with less hesitation, it would be good for them to talk probably.

“What?” Madara couldn’t quite keep the harshness out of his voice when he asked the question (not fair maybe, this Izuna had never tried to kill Tobirama while he was being healed, didn’t have that shame and regret weighing him down, but Madara was not a fair man) Izuna licked his lips and slanted a look at Tobirama, “Is he really your Center?” he asked softly; Madara sighed “Yes Izuna, I –“ they needed a story that people would believe even if he was considering telling his brother someday “- discovered somethings about him, he’s nothing like his reputation, or that’s not all there is too him, so when I met his eyes on the battlefield“ no need to say what battlefield, let them assume it was this one “and he was looking back, well. It’s like nothing else little brother, pain and joy and your entire world realigning.” Izuna looked at his feet a torn expression on his face (Tobirama looked over, he didn’t know what they were disusing but he recognized the pain of feeling over looked by a brother, he would have to talk to Madara) before swallowing and nodding “Ok” he whispered, and then with more force “ok, if that’s what he is then… then I guess it is what it is.” He took a deep breath and tipped his chin up, stomping over to Tobirama firmly, “You’re family now, so I owe you an apology I guess. So. Sorry for saying mean shit about you I guess.” Tobirama blinked at him with confusion but nodded anyway. Izuna nodded again and stomped off towards the guest room on the first level “Senju- not you, the scary one- you can sleep in my room if you want to keep an eye on their backs, I’m not sleeping up there and listening to my brother have lots of sex with the – with Tobirama.”

Touka raised an eyebrow at Izuna’s retreating back and sent Madara an interrogatory glance, he shrugged a little; honestly he almost never knew what was going on in his little brothers head but this time he was at least fairly sure it was a good thing “That’s it?” she asked dubiously “I was so sure we had the start of a rebellion on our hands and all it took was, what-? Tobirama killing someone for you?” Madara shrugged and slid an arm around Tobirama’s slim waist, pleased as punch when a fleeting kiss was brushed over his cheek in return (he _was not_ wiggling happily!) “Well, probably killing someone for me and also his little brother and probably a lot of it is that to be my Center he has to be more than his reputation. Oh, and the madness problem might be part of it.” Tobirama whipped around to look at him, red eyes large “ _What_ madness thing?” Madara blinked at him and frowned a little “Well, you’re my Center. Uchiha don’t deal well with it when their Centers die, um, we, uh, tend to go- well, tend to completely loose our minds. Like, a lot. _Really_ mad. It’s not good.”

” _What?”_ Tobirama rasped (Touka sighed and leaned heavily against the wall), Madara shrugged, “You being my Center is tied into our chakra, it can’t be undone- nor would I have it so- and if you die my chakra will get really messed up, broken Sharingan has happened a lot in the past. I would never ask you to not run missions and give up your work, but I _need_ you to be more careful love, I literally can’t deal with it if something happens to you.” He said seriously. Touka spoke up as a set of conflicted expression flickered across Tobirama’s face “You didn’t deal with it that well even before he was your Center, if the memories you showed me are at all close you pretty much lost it over him in the future that wasn’t. I mean, it seems like there was that plant thing orchestrating things but even so, you were mad enough to start a war over him to try and wipe the village off the map. That’s not exactly sane.” Madara shrugged, he wasn’t proud of what he had done (mostly for listening to Zetsu and not taking better care of Obito- poor kid didn’t deserve what he got- in part for running Tobirama’s dream) but he wasn’t ashamed of the emotion that had driven him to that point, not really. Tobirama swallowed hard, “We should- we should probably talk about that, so we know what not to do over. I just. Really? How could you care about me this much? I don’t understand.” Madara glanced at Touka, who shrugged at him- she had never found a way to make Tobirama understand how much he meant to her-, Madara leaned forward and captured pale hands pressing his lips to the long fingers “I don’t know how to make you see what I see, I can’t just force you to _understand_ how much you mean to me and how much you have to give to the world. But- just let me show you? _Try_ to believe me and give me a chance.”

Tobirama laughed wetly, his eyes over bright, “As if I could ever turn down a chance to be with you? Madara I would do almost anything to be near you, of course I can do that. And-and I’ll be more careful if it keeps you safer, I don’t want you hurt." Madara pressed his forehead to Tobirama’s hands; that wasn’t… exactly what he wanted, but it would take time for him to convince the albino to care about himself, or at least to believe that Madara and Touka did, that he was vital to their happiness, that would probably be easier for him; but Madara had no intention of giving up, he didn’t mind taking the time to help Tobirama unlearn his self-hate, it wasn’t Tobirama’s fault and Madara didn’t blame him, but he _was_ going to fucking fix it (he wasn’t sure what to do with the idea that Tobirama would take less and he deserved just to stay near Madara). “Come on darling, to bed. There is so much to do in the coming days, we need sleep.” Tobirama smiled a tiny bit and brushed his fingers through Madara’s fringe; he nodded and turned to pull Madara up the stairs and rolled his eyes at the smirk on Touka’s face as she followed them up, she had no intention of leaving their backs undefended until she could feel a little safer. Watching as her baby brother tugged his…. Lover? Boyfriend? What was the word for an Uchiha when you were their Center? Whatever, watching Tobirama disappear into the room with Madara was a bittersweet sight.

Before today she had never known exactly what would happen if she lost the little brother she adored so (the one her first loyalty had been given too) and now she _knew_ , she knew far too well and she knew what it would leave behind (a wreak of her life and Madara’s, both of them slowly falling to pieces in his absence, foundations built on the edge of the sea), but now she was watching Tobirama get the one thing he had always wanted more than anything else and been so _sure_ he would never have (and fuck she was proud of him for holding on to it with both hands even if he didn’t understand why, very shinobi of him) and it _hurt_. The best kind of ache in her chest, the kind that came from those few days so wonderful that you could feel them slid past you and it ached to know they would end, but this- this she was sure never would.

She _knew_ what Madara had been like without Tobirama, knew how deeply his mind could be undercut by emotions and heartache, she had known his before he fell in love with Tobirama- had known his as he fell in love with Tobirama though it had taken her a while to see what was happening- knew how unmoored he had seemed to her, how loving Tobirama gave him purpose (made him a better man and freed him from Hashirama’s orbit, a place he had never seemed to want or enjoy) and grounded him, how it lifted his eyes from the ground and gave him something to believe in; Madara _needed_ Tobirama, needed him deeply, every bit as deeply as Tobirama needed him. It was wonderful to see them together (they fit together like figures from an epic story, the kind that the former Lady Senju had told them as they grew up, like lovers from a song that ruled a world of tall golden trees) and she reveled in it, but she knew it was precarious, if something happened to either of them it could destroy the world; so she just needed to keep them safe when they weren’t on their guard and everything would be ok, which meant that they needed Hashirama’s village to keep them safe and together. Ugh. She didn’t want to give Hashirama what he wanted. He made _so much noise_.

Madara followed Tobirama into his room, mesmerized ( _so **lovely,** so **pretty,** so **smart and brilliant and kind and caring and protective and-**_ ) right until his eye gave a sharp pulse of pain and he couldn’t stop the gasp from slipping past his lips slamming one hand over the Rinnegan as it ached sharply “Madara?” Tobirama asked even as hands settled on the Uchiha’s temples and cool green chakra washed out of him fingers; it soothed Madara’s aching head and eased the strain a little, but didn’t relive the deeper pain “Bright hawk what’s the matter?” He sighed, nudging his head into Tobirama’s hands “The Rinnegan, there’s something wrong with it, I never found out what and Zetsu was… biased. _Very_ biased. (that asshole) But it’s not stable, it draws extremely heavily on my chakra, it used to send me into comas every few months, Zetsu _loved_ to take advantage of that weakness.” Tobirama pursed his lips a little and frowned “Come sit with me, you can tell me about what happened after my death while I scan your eyes.” Madara forced down the shiver at the thought of his Sanju’s death (God please, never again) and let himself be lead to the bed and settle there with Tobirama pulling him down until his head was in the albino’s lap; elegant fingers washed in chakra slid over his eyes and face as Madara haltingly told him about the birth and death of a dream. (his dreams turning to nightmares upon waking.)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took a while but this story is willing to work with me again! still a short chapter though

It was a story that hurt to tell, but there was good in the hurt, the sensation of a fever breaking, or a wound being cleaned, it was a pain that could pass now as it had never been able to before. Throughout the entire story Tobirama was quiet except for a few soft hums to show his understanding, one hand cupped over Madara’s eyes, the other combing through his hair in long caresses; Madara’s voice shattered at the end, choking and drying before it could pass his lips, Tobirama cupped Madara’s head and tugged the older man up until they were curled together, Madara’s face tucked into his neck as shaking breaths cooled the tears on pale skin. “I’m here, I’m _here_ Madara, we are together now” he murmured over and over until Madara’s breathing evened out; “I’m sorry” he whispered bitterly, “you wanted to make the village, you wanted peace, and I tried to destroy that.” Tobirama laughed a sad little laugh “Bright hawk, you give me too much credit for nobility, to know that you would go that far for _me_ … I can’t tell you what it means to me that you- that _I’m_ your priority.” Madara snorted helplessly, “ _Of course_ you are, you before anything else” he said and Tobirama’s finger tightened in his hair, “ _thank you_ ” the albino whispered (Madara wondered if Tobirama had ever come first to anyone before, knowing Hashirama probably not).

Madara nuzzled close, “We’ll just have to take care of each other, just let me care for you. _Please_ just let me care for you and you can have whatever you wish.” Tobirama pressed a kiss to his cheekbone “You, that’s all I want. Anything else we can figure out as we go.” They lay twisted together for a time, Madara trying to breath past the remembered pain; things would be different this time, it would be ok, he was _marrying_ his Center tomorrow (and yes that was still priority for him over dealing with clan politics or the question of peace) and everything else would come. This time he would have Tobirama and maybe even Izuna, this time he wouldn’t let anything break them and with him and Tobirama working together he didn’t see anything they couldn’t do; this time things would be _different_. “I think I have an idea about your eyes, bright hawk. I’ll need to some more scanning to sort it out and I wish I knew more about it- is it DNA that is needed from both Ashura and Indra (which makes very little sense, the Senju don’t trace bloodlines but I don’t think Hashi is a direct descendant) or is it chakra (which might actually make sense)? If so where does it connect to _your_ chakra coils? If it’s DNA how does that get- oh. Sorry, this must be boring, I know I-“ Tobirama trailed off looking slightly ashamed. Madara frowned harshly and pushed himself up on an elbow “Fuck that, I _like_ listening to you, I think it’s interesting, even if I didn’t it’s _my_ eye, so it matters to me.” Tobirama flushed a little and smiled at Madara, the older man examined him closely before nodding sharply and dropping himself down onto the albino “So you need to scan it more? It sounds like it’s not tying into my coils right from what you said, that would match what I have felt fairly well. Can you keep it from dumping me into a coma for now?” Tobirama laughed gently, tucking his face into Madara’s hair “Yes, I can. Just have to sooth the connection and reconnect the nerves, redirect the chakra a little, I can do it every night or morning until I figure it out.”

Madara sighed and pried himself off Tobirama (good lord that pout….) “We need to change, bed, sleep” Tobirama’s pout gentled into a smile as he sat up and started pulling off his shirt (guh, _so pretty…._ ) “And after Izuna made such an effort to sleep downstairs” the albino said; Madara whined, “ _Tobira_ ” and the Senju stood up and pressed a kiss to Madara’s lips as he finished shucking off his clothing and slipped past him to his wardrobe “Do you mind if I borrow something to sleep in?” Madara stared at him, making an assenting noise and swallowing hard (so pale… glow-y… _beautiful_ ) at the image Tobirama made as he slid into Madara’s clothing ( _guh_ ). “Madara?” he started, blinking at the confused look on Tobirama’s face, “Right. um. bed.” The Senju shook his head and sat on the bed waiting until Madara came over to him “I’m braiding your hair for bed” he said hopefully and Madara dropped down in front of him with relief; braiding his own hair tended to make his arms ache from the weight and it was _annoying_ to have to do it, honestly he was thrilled to have Tobirama do it (and that had nothing to do with how wonderful it felt to have his Center’s fingers in his hair, _god_ that felt good).

Curled up with Tobirama in his arms, his hair braided in a way that didn’t pull on his scalp painfully, actually just not being in pain at _all_ after all this time (even his eyes didn’t hurt, they had even back when he was in this time originally), Izuna near and Touka watching his back, with all of that Madara—Madara pressed his face into white hair just _breathed_.


	9. Chapter 9

Morning came quietly, creeping into the room softly and brushing the walls with pale light; Madara watched it through slightly cracked eyes, the strange quiet in his mind and warmth at his side lulling him into a peace he had never quite felt before. He dozed, slipping in and out of sleep until Tobirama stirred next to him, stretching like a cat and nuzzling close, pressing warm kisses to Madara’s jaw; he hummed happily rubbing a hand down Tobirama’s spine and enjoying the pleased shiver. Tobirama shifted, lifting up to look at Madara with a shockingly fond look in his red eyes “Good morning love” he murmured and Madara couldn’t help the (slightly dopey) smile this prompted, shifting up to kiss him “Good morning to you too darling" Tobirama flushed a little, just a bit over his cheekbones before his eyes lit up with mischief and he slipped fully over Madara, (the older man shivered at the feeling of Tobirama’s slight weight settling on him) dropping down to rest his chin on the Uchiha’s breastbone “You know…. Izuna _did_ move downstairs, it would be a shame to waste it.” Madara groaned as arousal shot through him (god his _eyes_ , easy with sleep and hot and _god_ ), Tobirama pushed up to give Madara a lingering kiss before pulling back “Pity you’re not supposed to see me on the wedding day” he said and then was up and out the door before Madara could do much more than splutter and swear, groaning as he dropped his arm over his face and grinning like an idiot.

Touka blinked at her little cousin as he darted into her room and dove over her to hide on her other side while _giggling_ \- what the _fuck_?!- “….Tobira?” she asked slowly staring blankly at the door “Why are you giggling in my bed?” “Hey Touka, want to get me married today?” and Touka lunged upright to spin and stare at Tobirama, “You-? Madara purposed?” she asked huge eyed, Tobirama nodded shyly and Touka made a stupid high pitched noise and threw herself at her cousin “I _so happy_ for you!!” she cheered in his ear, hugging him as firmly (not tightly, never tightly, not with Tobirama) as he started a laughing in her arms. They stayed there smiling at each other and talking about everything happy that had happened (there were other things, not happy things, Yashiro and the futurepast and Hashirama but for now they didn’t matter, maybe they never would) and Touka’s heart felt over full as she looked at her little brother; happier than she had _ever_ imagined him being and looking towards the future again instead of thinking about plans for his death, it was everything she had ever wanted (everything she knew she had lost in the futurepast, she was never going to tell either of them that she was remembering things she shouldn’t, things Madara hadn’t shown her) and never thought to see. “Well then little cousin, we had better get moving hadn’t we? Madara can’t see you so I’ll go and talk to the Uchiha about a priest and you take a bath, we’ll find you something nice to wear, just leave it to me.” he smiled at her and pushed up, bussing a kiss on her cheek before standing and slipping out of the room, Touka lay there blinking back tears- tears she wasn’t ashamed about- and just breathing before, standing and giving herself a good shake, she had bathed last night, she would find some flowers to wear in her hair- and wear it down maybe- and that would have to work, but she _would_ find something better for her brother.

Tobirama stared at what Touka had found for him, how? She had- somehow- found a white unmarked robe that he could slid on over his high-necked undershirt and mission pants, it would even go with his fur; his sister was amazing. He hummed and tilted his head, actually… he took a deep breath and raised a hand, calling water vapor to one hand and then a breath of cold to the other, he was going to be wed in _style._ “Tobirama” Touka called starting him from his focus on the cloth in front of him, she slid the door open and pocked her head in “Your sweet love has had a talk with the Uchiha priest and you’re all set, I even found a little attendant for you…” she trailed off, staring at the robe “ _Tobira_ ,” she breathed “this is…” Tobirama shifted a little, he hadn’t thought but “Is it too much?” he asked quietly. Touka started and spun to him “NO, no Tobirama, it’s beautiful. You… Madara is going to lose his shit.” Tobirama just _knew_ he was blushing and ducked his head “Thank you, you look lovely as well” she smiled and shook her head “I know you like it when I wear my hair down and I wrangled some flowers with my little helper. Now you put that on, and I’ll meet you at the door, Madara is at the shrine.” Tobirama slipped the robe on and brushed his fingers over the happuri sitting on the bed, it wasn’t the day to wear it but… he tied it at his waist, at least this way he would have the gift his little brother gave him but would go to get married wearing armor; he shook himself and slipped down the stairs, he could feel Madara (excited and nervous) waiting at what must be the shrine, Touka at the door (happy, glad and a tiny bit sad) with _Kagami_ (vibrating out of his skin with excitement) oh that was wonderful, and – Tobirama hesitated, but, Madara was getting married today and he hadn’t forgotten the look on Izuna’s face last night. Damn it. He spun in a swirl of white and stormed to Izuna’s door, giving a perfunctory knock and then opening it, grabbing the shocked Uchiha’s wrist and yanking the flailing Izuna after him to the door.

(Izuna was confused.)

Madara was more nervous than he had been in a _long_ time, it wasn’t that he thought Tobirama wasn’t going to show up but what if something happens? How could he ever have been given this joy? What had he ever done to deserve this? what- he was surprised out of his thoughts when Izuna was shoved into the shrine by a giggling Kagami; the Uchiha blinked at each other for a moment “Izuna?” his little brother cleared his throat and tugged to his clothes “I hear you’re getting married in sort-of secret, your soon-to-be spouse brought me. I didn’t- I wasn’t trying to _crash_ -“ Madara felt his eyes soften and he stepped forward, tugging his little brother into his arms “I’m glad you’re here Izuna, if you can be glad for me then I want you here.” Izuna burrowed close and pressed his face to his brothers’ shoulder “I- I _am_ glad, I, don’t really understand really. but if he is your Center and he makes you happy then I’m glad for you” Madara swallowed hard, ignoring the prickling of his eyes, _thank you dear heart,_ “love you little brother.” He said hoarsely and Izuna squeezed him once before pulling back and wiping at his eyes “Yeah well, um, we should get on with it.” (he was so _young_ , Madara had forgotten that) Kagami at the door cheered and pulled back as Izuna moved to stand at Madara’s side under the fond gaze of the priest.

Kagami shoved the door open, straining a little under the weight and Touka stepped into the room moving to the alter where she would be able to stand with Tobirama and through the light pouring in through the door stepped a vision; Tobirama was decked in a robe of shining white and as he stepped into the shrine and the light shifted Madara could see the shinny patterns spiraling over the white cloth in _frost_. Designs of seals and Uchiha fans and Senju symbols and twisting frost patterns; it was the most beautiful wedding robe Madara had ever seen and to him it paled in comparison to the man wearing it, his brow clear and free of the happuri he always wore (though Madara could see it at his waist, good, it would be odd without it somewhere) and his eyes bright and _alive._ The ceremony passed as if from a great distance, he must have said the right things but he never could remember more than Tobirama’s bright eyes, than Izuna’s pressing his shoulder to Madara’s back and Touka grinning like a maniac, Kagami shinning with joy and the priest smiling at them as he tied them together in the eyes of gods and men; and more than anything else _Tobirama_ , Tobirama alive and with him, Tobirama smiling and pleased, Tobirama sorrow and uncertainty banished from his brow, just _Tobirama_. Always Tobirama.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> one chapter of fluff wasn't enough

Tobirama kissed on his wedding day like he had never known heartbreak from Madara (all the little aches of the years before his death, of all the times Madara’s eyes slid over him like he was nothing turned insubstantial for now), wrapping his arms around the other mans neck and relishing the soft affection. He drew back slowly lingering close and breathing in the presence of the one person that left him feeling able to rest. Air brushed against his cheeks as Madara whispered to him “In the hour of my death I chose you love, in the hours of the morning I choose you, in the hours of the evening I choose you, in the brightest point of the day and the darkest moments of the night I choose you. I choose _you_ ; I choose you always, and if the world doesn’t wish to give me a choice than I shall _make_ it.” Tobirama shuddered, joy wet on his cheeks, he laughed softly twisting dark hair through his fingers as he spoke “Who knew you could be such a poet bright hawk? You have had me since before you knew and even death has never changed that.” Madara’s smile was warm and easy gentle in the way the older man so rarely had a chance to be as he leaned and pressed their foreheads together until Touka gave in and let out a wolf whistle (Tobirama knew that his sister loved him for the softness of the whistle) and they broke apart each to be swept up in happy hugs.

* * *

Touka knew she was grinning like a maniac, but this, _this_ , this was all she had ever really wanted. She was a child of war and had never thought to outlive it (in another future she had lived to see peace and had still died with war in her heart); she had never wanted a lover or a family- far preferring her own company or that of a select few-, she had never had use for luxuries of indulgences or teaching, her happiest dreams and dearest hopes had been for a good death in defense of those she loved and a better world for her brother- a world where he could have _this_ moment. The moment when he was dressed in joy and wreathed in light, at rest the way he so rarely was as he pressed against someone that Touka could trust to always hold him close and treasure him the way he deserved to be treasured - she could rest easier and fight fiercer now she knew for this one burning moment; she whistled and snatched Tobirama into a hug the moment he pulled back far enough, wrapping her arms around his shoulders where is would hurt him least (Hashirama never bothered to learn these things). She opened her mouth only to choke on words she didn’t have, pressing her face to his shoulder instead and twisting her chakra around him filled with her joy and fierce love and bright, incandescent pride; his breath hitched and he pressed him face into her shoulder and she knew he understood.

* * *

Izuna wanted to hate this. He had felt so many negative things about Tobirama ( _fearangerhatehororshamewary **shame**_ ) for so long, had never thought to change that (better the hate the enemy than love them, his brother was evidence of that, Izuna had seen what _caring_ for those they fought did to his older brother and had sworn to never feel that pain), had never imagined a world where he would ever need to and now- _now_ \- now he would have to face it all at once (not just not an enemy, not only an ally, not simply a passing fancy for his brother, but his _Center_ ), thrown into the deep end and expected to understand why he was suddenly in water at all not in his warm fire bright home. He…. well. perhaps he would have done something foolish but Tobirama was Madara’s _Center_ and his brother loved with such overwhelming force that Izuna feared that should something happen to the Senju his brother would fall in the same moment and never rise again and Izuna would never want that for his brother, not ever. So if Tobirama loved Madara even half as much as Madara loved him Izuna would… well, he’d sort his shit out wouldn’t he? and Tobirama did love Madara, that was clear (“ _what the **fuck** Senju?! I apologized already you’re not going-“ a confused look from red eyes “What? why would I-? Never mind, whatever you think your brother would want you to be there so I’m bringing you” “Bringing me to what? no, I’m not going anywhere, brother doesn’t want to see me right now after-“ a sigh “Izuna, whatever else is true Madara **loves you** , nothing can change that- no shut up- but relationships are more than love, you can’t make them live on only that. They take work and time and care, and you can love and hate and care even as you turn away; you’re an Uchiha and he is your brother, love isn’t the thing that is lacking- so if you don’t want to look up and see your brother walking away one day you have to stand up with him **now.** ” Silence, another sigh “Come on you can try it now, your brother is marrying me” utter shock and confusion in red eyes “god only knows why, but you should stand with him.” why were there were water spots on his sleeves?_).

When the scary Senju (Touka?) grabbed Tobirama Izuna stepped up next to his brother, he hesitated for a moment ( _“if you don’t want to see him walking away”_ ) before stepping close and leaning heavily on his older brother; Madara started twisting to look at him with eyes old and easy (there was something odd about one of them but Izuna couldn’t see it behind his fringe) in a way that confused Izuna a little, but he smiled gently and tugged Izuna into his arms for a proper hug the way they never did anymore (always roughhousing and wrestling, war had seeped into everything and made it all a little too sharp around the edges), “I know you don’t get it or like him, so thank you for being here little brother – he’s my whole world.” Izuna laughed wetly and fisted his hands in his brother’s nice robe “I don’t understand, it all happened so fast but- I have never see you as steady as you are when you are with him.” he sniffed and swallowed harshly “I don’t- I wouldn’t miss this brother.” Madara’s arms tightened around him for a moment, just before Izuna got too uncomfortable he pulled back and ruffled the younger man’s hair sharply making him squawk and reel back as Madara laughed (he would try, he wasn’t good a standing- rather run or fight or sleep- but he could try.

* * *

Madara laughed at the sheer afront on his brother’s face as he tried to fix his hair (this wasn’t the Izuna that killed the man Madara loved, not yet, and he was doing his best to remember that) “Oh go get your husband, we’ll have dinner delivered to your room and we can do breakfast tomorrow, I’ll deal with the clan for now. I’m assuming your going to do peace with the Senju and want to keep the whole wedding thing quiet for now.” Izuna grumbled, he didn’t look at Madara as he said it and his ears were quite pink and Madara could feel himself softening a little (this wasn’t the man that killed Tobirama) running his hand over Izuna’s dark head and patting down his hair as he did “Thanks little brother. Ask Touka to help you, she’s very good at getting shit done.” Izuna snorted and slanted a glance at Touka, looking deeply intimidated “Right…” he muttered. Madara shook his head and wandered over to his husband (!!!) slipping his arms around that trim waist and relishing Tobirama’s trust; Touka looked at them and shook her head, “Go fuck for a while, short-stuff and I can hold things down here.” She said bluntly, (Madara _did not squeak,_ he _didn’t_ ) Tobirama chuckled and leaned back into the older man tipping his head on the strong shoulder and slanting a glance at Madara from under his eyelashes “What do you say Husband? To bed?” oh. Shit. that. Um. damn.

Somehow they got from the shrine to the bedroom but Madara really wasn’t sure how (Shunshin?) to absorbed in the way Tobirama’s voice sounded when he called Madara _Husband_ (best thing Madara had ever heard) and how his eyes looked bright and free of the clinging uncertainty (Madara knew it wouldn’t last, soon enough Tobirama would start looking confused every time Madara was still there and still wanted him, a wedding and a few days wouldn’t fix heartaches that deeply carved). He pressed close to his husband (!!!) a few steps into the bedroom, biting sharply at the elegant neck, “What do you want?” he asked in a deep voice (hmm, interesting, that shiver was promising) “I- it’s not-“ he frowned a little, pulling back at the uncertainty in Tobirama’s voice; there was pink across his cheekbones and his eyes were directed off to the side as he shifted “We don’t need to do anything, as long as you’re close I don’t care, we can talk or-“ “No! I- it’s just. _I’ve never done this before_ ” he cleared his throat, still not looking at Madara “I don’t know-“ Madara whimpered (Madara, only ever with Madara!) and snatched up elegant hand peppering them with kisses “We don’t have to do anything, we can play it by ear, anything you want” and flickered his chakra out, Tobirama’s eyes went big and he wavered on his feet “ _Oh_ , yes that please, more of that” Madara kissed him again sliding his hands over pale skin “Anything else?” Tobirama gasped as Madara’s hands slid down his back and arched under the touch “you, in me. I want you in me” he whispered on a moan and Madara whined as arousal shot though him, murmuring into pearl pale skin “As you wish.”


	11. Chapter 11

Tobirama nails dug into Madara’s skin where his hands braced on the Uchiha’s chest ( _“how do you-“ “I want to-o see your face, want to look into- ah!- your eyes- ‘Dara-ah!” “like this then, easier for- god- you- mmm-“_ ) and Madara’s mind whited out as his pale haired husband lowered himself slowly- _that felt…._ And looking at Tobirama above him, skin shinning with sweat and head thrown back knocked all thought out of Madara’s brain but the ever-present thrum of his adoration. Tobirama let out a gasping, punched out sound as he settled to match Madara’s thin, desperate whine- _hng_ \- “easy, easy darling” Madara gasped out, rubbing his hands up and down his husband’s shaking thighs “don’t- _oh god_ \- rush yourself- _gorgeous-_ ahh, _Tobirama_ ” the albino whimpered and sagged forward, leaning heavily on Madara’s chest, his eyes going wide as the movement shifted Madara inside him “ _Madara!_ ” and the older mans hand’s clenched on sharp hipbones and his head snapped back a deep moan torn out of his throat. Tobirama tipped farther forward whimpering and pressed a clumsy kiss to Madara’s panting mouth, the Uchiha struggled to respond but before he could the way he wanted to Tobirama shifted back up and his brain went blank as lightning shot through him with the shifting of his husband’s (!) muscles “ _please_ love” Tobirama laughed breathlessly “ye-eh-s _Husband_ -?” god damn it, that was- _god_. Tobirama moved over him, Madara meeting him and supporting him when the younger man faltered murmured words of endearment and praise filling the space between them (“ _most beautiful, dearest, my Center and my heart” “ **husband** , love, you’re the best thing-, all I ever wanted for myself-“_) as they rose up, twining together and twisting over the peak together panting in the aftermath. Tobirama pressed himself close to Madara’s chest, nuzzling at his jaw and refusing to let them disconnect even as his skin shivered in aftershocks; Madara whimpered breathlessly, shuddering when Tobirama hummed soothingly.

“Don’t sleep yet pretty eyes, we should get clean. To’ra-” the former Senju whined sulkily but let Madara gently coaxing him up (whimpering sadly as he slid free, and Madara had no idea had to deal with that pout, _not **fair**_ ), sagging tiredly on to the bed as Madara pried himself up to go get a washcloth (bless the enterprising soul that let a tray at the door), wiping down pearl skin as Tobirama stretched languorously under his hands with a pleased hum; Madara pressed an adoring kiss to the back of his husband’s (!) neck, “do you want to eat anything?” he murmured softly, took a look at Tobirama’s thin frame and shook his head “never mind, you need to eat something darling” the albino grumbled at little but sat up (his wince was distinctly pleased) a little, taking to tray form Madara as the older man slid back into bad with him curling back into the Uchiha as soon as he could (Madara was just thrilled that Tobirama was willing to let him hand feed him, it scratched every one of his deep seated needs to take care of the people he loved, settling the restlessness that haunted his heart).

* * *

Tobirama stretched as he woke, shivering in remembered pleasure as his tailbone twinge and then shivering again as Madara pressed a kiss against his spine, and then another and another as he slid down; the familiar feel of the sharingan spinning to life making him moan a little as his husband (he still didn’t understand why Madara had wanted that with him, but he was so _grateful_ ) slid his fingers over Tobirama’s hips and pressed his thumbs to the albino’s tailbone, drifting down till they brushed over the hot inflamed skin (Tobirama whimpered and was sure he was blushing hotly, Madara _was looking at him with the sharingan,_ he wanted to remember what Tobirama looked like there) “God you’re beautiful” the dark haired man whispered, placing a biting kiss on the albino’s sacrum (Tobirama was a little embarrassed about how often Madara made him whimper) “ _please_ Husband” he breathed and felt Madara’s hair brush his skin with a puff of air as he responded the word, followed by a kiss over his hip “not to sore?” he asked against Tobirama’s skin “mmm, no, not this way I think, come up here- _Dara!”_ his words dragged into a yelp at the swift swipe of a tongue over hypersensitive skin. Madara rumbled deeply ( _“another time, another time I will spread you out and see if I can make you scream with my tongue alone, darling”_ ) before sliding up as Tobirama snagged the bottle of oil from next to the bed as Madara blanketed him in warmth, making the albino relax with a whispering moan. ( _hot-steam-cloves chakra slipping over him as Madara slid home, long hair sliding over his skin and hiding him from the world as it formed a dark curtain around him, strong muscles shifting against his back as Madara moved in him, their finger knotting together next to his face and Madara’s moans in his ear as he keened out his pleasure_ )

* * *

“Izuna is coming,” Tobirama murmured as Madara rested half on him as they came down together, relishing the weight pressing down on him (grounding him and holding him together, letting him relax); the older man grumbled but he could hear his brother’s purposefully loud footsteps as he walked towards their room, “fuck” Madara muttered grumpily, a sentiment that Tobirama wanted to echo as his husband shifted out and sat up, sweeping a hand down Tobirama’s spine (a favorite of his the albino had noticed) “Don’t want to get up” he muttered sulkily. Madara leaned over and pressed a kiss to the back of his neck and smoothed a over his shoulder “Don’t you want to see the look on Izuna’s face when he sees this?” he whispered as he brushed his fingers over one of the marks he left over Tobirama’s neck and collar bone; Tobirama shivered and laughed a little, the idea was…. entertaining. Madara glanced at the door, “is he just standing at the stairs trying to hear if there’s moaning or something?” Tobirama smiled and rolled over to twist his fingers through the long ends of his husband’s hair “Yes, just standing there and pacing a little”, Madara snorted a bit and raised his voice “You can come to the door Izuna” he called, fetching the blanket and dragging it over Tobirama’s pale skin and covering his lap with the end of it and snorting as Izuna came closer only in very slow steps.

Tobirama twisted to hide his face in Madara’s hair and hip, turning away from the door, Madara sent him a worried look but didn’t have a chance to ask before Izuna was sliding the door open hesitantly “You’re decent?” he asked peering in uselessly given that he was covering his eyes; Madara snorted, “Yes, little brother, we’re covered” Izuna blew out a relived breath and dropped his hand, grimacing only a little at his brother in the bed with the pale shape curled around him (Izuna had never seen Madara look like this, like he was calm and focused and grounded, bear chested and wild haired and glimmering with sun as Tobirama twisted close. Madara looked pleased and content and protective and all the happier for it, and Izuna… it was hard to resent anything that made Madara look like that). “Breakfast” Izuna muttered, a look Madara couldn’t follow flickering over his face “…. Sorry to disturb you” he added. “We’ll be down soon, give us a chance to get clean first.” Madara said, holding in a snort at the grossed outlook on his brothers face at the implication of the reason they would need to clean; Izuna vanished from the door and Madara looked down, brushing his fingers through white hair “What’s wrong dear one?” he asked softly. “I. I’m very glad that Izuna came around and stood up with you… I just,” the albino whispered and Madara frowned a little, concerned “it- Hashirama.” “Oh” Madara murmured, his gut twisting; it had been so long since he had thought much about his former friend that he had quite forgotten that it was Tobirama’s _brother_ that was missing their wedding “he’ll want us to have a bigger second wedding you know.”

Tobirama laughed a little “Eventually yes, but, Madara the first thing he will think is- he will wonder-“ he pressed closer “he’ll wonder why you would ever want _me_ , and I know you say you _do_ , but I- he, it’ll be like I stole your attention because I couldn’t ever get it on my own and-“ Madara stiffened in anger and Tobirama flinched back, twisting away and sitting on the edge of the bed with a faint hiss before Madara could catch him “I’m not saying you’re- every one knows that you two are close and I can’t- I _can’t_ see you walk away Madara, I _can’t_ ” Madara snarled, lunging forward and grabbing the albino and pressing his shaking form close, biting sharply at his neck to interrupt the words “ _NO_.” he snapped “No. don’t do this, I married _you,_ do you hold my words so light? Do you think me a liar?” Tobirama raised shaking fingers to Madara’s hand around his waist but didn’t do more then brushing over his fingers before snatching his hand back with a hitching breath.

Madara blew a breath out slowly, forcing his temper down; he _knew_ that Tobirama wasn’t going to be able to break long set thought patterns after only a few days, even after that it would probably come back from time to time under stress, he _knew_ that it wasn’t about him and that thinking about Hashirama probably made it worse. He needed to remember not to take it personally and leaned his forehead against the pale shoulder, forcing his mind under control it wasn’t- there was something wet on his arm. Madara’s head snapped up, Tobirama was shaking still, totally silently as he twisted his head away (oh fuck) to hide it from Madara; “I’m sorry” the albino whispered on shaking breath and Madara shook his head a little franticly, “No, no, no, darling I know- I know you didn’t mean it like that” he firmly turned Tobirama on the bed to face him curving his hand around the sharp jaw and coaxing him to look at him (the wet shine on his cheeks made something sharp twist in Madara’s chest) “I know you didn’t mean to say that about me,” he murmured “I know it’s just, just how your used to thinking; but try to remember that I chose you and I _know_ you, I had years to love you.” Red eyes flicked to him “I didn’t mean- _not about you_ ” Tobirama’s voice was shaking as well and Madara tugged him close “I know, I know, it’s alright. If Hashirama says anything like that I promise I won’t put up with it-“ Tobirama started to protest and Madara squeezed his hand instead “no, thinking about his reaction to us getting married- quickly and out of the blue or no- shouldn’t reduce you to a panic attack.”

Tobirama shivered but turned into Madara, tucking his face into the long dark hair (much to Madara’s relief – hiding in Madara instead of from Madara was all he really needed) and tucking his legs up to sift closer “I _am_ sorry” he whispered and Madara sighed, “I know, it’s alright, just remember that I chose you and I love you and I’ll still be here even when we argue” he said calm slipping over him again as Tobirama settled. The white head nodded and – “I love you too” Tobirama murmured “you know I would never leave you if I can stay.” Madara tipped the albino’s chin up pressing a light kiss to thin lips, smiling as Tobirama pressed closer and twisted his fingers though Madara’s hair. The Uchiha pulled back with a groan, “We have to get ready for breakfast” he muttered and Tobirama whined sulkily but let him up, wincing when Madara gave him a hand up off the bed with another kiss (“bath” Madara gasped).


	12. Chapter 12

Lucky Izuna couldn’t possibly have expected them to move quickly as their bath was prolonged by lingering in the water as Madara indulged Tobirama’s love of his hair and Madara took the opportunity the enjoy seeing the lingering stress from the panic attack fade and the earlier easy pleasure return to Tobirama along with the ease of his speech; “Come on, you can brush it out after breakfast, we shouldn’t keep them waiting” Madara said fondly, Tobirama sighed but let himself be coaxed out of the bathroom and down to the table where a smirking Touka and a- _very carefully not looking_ \- Izuna sat at the table (the delighted look on Touka’s face at Tobirama’s wince as he sat was highly entertaining when contrasted with Izuna’s queasiness). “Sleep well boys?” Touka asked smugly, Madara cleared his throat but Tobirama sent her a grin full of teeth “Mmm, when we got to sleep” he said in a deep purr ( _hng,_ that _voice_ ) and Izuna whined pathetically “ _Why?!_ I don’t want to _know_ this!” Madara snickered and Tobirama slanted him a glinting look, shifting just enough that the neck of the yukata he was borrowing slipped open and showed the dark marks littered over his neck and shoulders; Izuna chocked and slammed his hand over his eyes swearing violently as Touka cackled (Madara was _so_ happy)

* * *

Touka smirked as she looked around the table, breakfast (lunch really) was long over but they still sat as Madara and Izuna talked about the Uchiha clan and what was needed to make peace actually work and her sweet little cousin focused intently on brushing out Madara’s hair for the second time (ever since the dishes were removed- Madara had policed Tobirama’s food in an adorable way, she had never seen anyone so delighted to fuss over someone and pleased to be allowed too- he had been brushing it out and then braiding it in different ways with an expression Touka had only even seen when he was working on a new jutsu). She was delighted to be part of this, delighted to be there when Tobirama reminded them that a lot of the plans for peace were tucked away in his room and lab and all they had to do was tell Mito how to find them- the look on Madara’s _face_ , on the other hand Touka only barely hid her wince- and see Izuna’s shocked look when Tobirama explained it to him; she would have given up these easy moments for anything but… “You’re forgetting something” she said quietly, the men looked over at her, faces growing serious at the sharp look in her eyes (Tobirama let go of Madara’s hair with one last pass and shifted until he could cover the older man’s eyes with his hand to start healing them, it was time to focus) “Zestu” she said softly.

Madara went stiff and hard under Tobirama’s hands and he rubbed at the older man’s temples, Touka understood his reaction _viscerally_ ( _She dies on river bank in a valley she doesn’t know that name of, she dies with a blade in her heart and a curse on her lips as she faces an abomination she cannot fathom the origin of. And she regrets that she leaves him alone with memories, but she does not regret her death as she laughs to see blood (that makes even her unnatural foe falter). The god of death is an old friend and there is nothing for her to fear there, all that she loves is waiting for her (all but one, and she fears for him a little without her to remind him of the good days)_ ) and felt an old (new) hunger stir in her; she wanted him dead, wanted the _thing_ that would see all that she loved reduced to ashes, destroyed for some plan she will never understand – or care about. “Zetus?” Izuna asked softly, sensing the darkness in the room; Madara hesitated for a long moment ant then tapped at Tobirama’s hands, he sat up with his eyes closed and then opened them slowly, head tipped just right to shift his hair out of his eyes and show the spinning Rinnegan. Izuna’s eyes went huge and Tobirama shifted closer, tucking his head in Madara’s neck the older man calming under the touch “Do you know what this is?” he asked his brother; Izuna nodded silently looking shocky, “Do you want to know how I got it?” he asked. Izuna hesitated visibly uncertain and chewing on his lip “No,” he said softly, not quite able to meet his brother’s eyes “I- it has something to do with how everything changed doesn’t it?” Madara nodded “Then I don’t think I really want to know. Not now at least” Tobirama hummed, “That’s ok, you don’t have too. But Zetsu is the enemy of any living thing, he obeys the word of a goddess in the moon that would like to see all that we loved destroyed.” Izuna gaped, “A _moon goddess_?!” he yelped; Madara sighed, not fighting when Tobirama covered his eyes again and the green light started up again.

“I- we can’t leave it alive; it will continue to do everything that it can to manipulate the world into the shape it wants. There’s no point in having knowledge if we don’t use it and I have no intention to leave that thing alive for the next generation to deal with.” Madara said darkly, Tobirama hummed gently and Touka nodded, “Fuck that thing, I want it _dead_ before it can make things worse” Izuna looked between them and then at his hands before sighed “You three should go find it then, I’ll… I’ll start working on your peace brother. I don’t like Hashirama but Kikiyo and I should be able to make some progress before you get back with the papers Sen- _Tobirama_ has made already. We can tell the clan that you had to go on a high priority mission to do with the Naka tablet” (Madara grimaced, he needed to deal with that damn thing) “but you should leave sooner rather than later.” Madara sighed, biting down his frustration, and Touka touched his shoulder in sympathy; she might want the thing dead, but she knew how hard it was- especially for him- to leave peace he had only just found. (Touka… once upon a time that wasn’t Zestu had killed her and she was more than ready to repay the gesture)


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, things have been exciting in my life and that has made it hard to write, but I'm trying to get back on the horse! Bit by bit. (as long as my health doesn't nose dive again) So if the writing is odd that's why.

Touka watched them run in front of her, a matched pair in black and white, the shape of the moon and the night sky that held it close and made it shine all the brighter; gods but she was so glad that they had found each other (she was never going to forget what Madara had showed her, a world where they never did and were so much lesser for it, a world she never wanted to see thought the echoes pushed at her). She smirked at where their heads were ducked together even as they ran- Tobi was dropping his speed in deference to her and Madara, the sweet boy- only to feel the smile slid away as she caught a snatch of what they were talking about ("-dara I'm not doing it on purpose, it's just-" "-know, but I hate it when you apologize and -- not your fault-" "-sorry-" " _see_ " "-think you're beautiful-" "- _dara"_ ) it was good that they were addressing Tobi's broken heart and she was thrilled that Madara cared enough to make Tobi talk about it and not just shake it off and doge the subject the way he did with her but...was this really the time? (Maybe it was for them, maybe they were to aware that they might not have time later - something Touka was going to make sure wasn't true, they would have all the time they could want no matter what it took.)

Shaking her head she dragged her attention away from them and back to the matter at hand, they needed to deal with Zetsu first, everything else would wait. Tobi had found the plant-bastard after hours of deep meditation and farther into Sage mode than Touka was really happy with but Madara had pulled him out and they had a direction to go now; running off wildly would have done no one any good but they really couldn’t put this off so Sage mode had been the only choice. In the meantime she had had time to think about the best way to kill the thing, after all Madara’s memories said that the way they had killed it the first time had been with Madara and Tobirama working together while Madara’s Rinnegan was at full power and not damaged as it was now, farther complicating it was the fact that at that point Zetsu had already been weakened having spread his power into so many clones and dumping a good part of it into Obito. At this point they had no such advantage and were instead facing a Zetsu that was still at full power and in full contact with his Mistress, killing him now wouldn’t be half as easy even with surprise on their side – it was a battle that Touka looked forward to with a bitter mix of blood thirst and shadowed anticipation ( _she dies with a blade in her heart and a curse on her lips_ ), she would never allow that monster to destroy her family again. _Never._

* * *

Tobirama spent every night while they ran tucked between Madara and Touka (they were shinobi and it was cold, she was family, it was…wonderful to have two of the people he loved most in the world tucked so close every night and he relished it, it soothed some young hurting part of him he hadn’t realized still ached from when Hashirama’s touches grew rarer and rarer) and woke every morning to funnel power into Madara’s eyes before meditating to find Zetsu; her had never realized that Sage mode could be anything other than terrifying and painful, never realized that it could be _safe_ until he had Madara waiting for him, all that impossible chakra focused on him and nothing else. Now he could pull himself out of the flow of power and the bright stars of life with the pull of the golden warmth of Madara calling him home and it was the sweetest thing he had ever felt. Still, the shape of the worlds power pulled at him and he frowned a little as something shifted far away, something was…different.

Something had changed, what… Tobirama’s eyes flew open and he grabbed at Madara’s arm – “It’s coming our way, it knows we are after it” he gasped and Touka swore loudly, Madara’s mouth going tight and worried “You’re sure?” he asked and Tobirama nodded already turning his senses outward again to try and get a feel for how fast the thing was closing on them. “It’s moving fast but there’s only one of it, trying to conserve strength maybe? it’ll be here soon, in the next half hour maybe” Madara’s hand went tight on Tobirama’s shoulder and he ducked close, kissing the albino _hard_ before drawing away “We don’t have the advantage of surprise but we can still choose the ground. Somewhere rocky, that will make it harder for it to move through the earth, set raps, try to keep it in a bottle neck where it can’t flank us” Touka nodded grimly and leapt to her feet already turning her mind to finding the best place. Madara ducked down again and helped Tobirama to his feet, pressing his head into the crook of the albino’s neck for a long moment “You have to come back to me, you have to live, you _have_ to. I do horrible things without you love, you can’t leave me alone” he whispered, voice twisted and strange and Tobirama was reminded suddenly of all that he had heard about what Madara had done without him and swallowed. It was easy to forget sometimes that Madara was…not the sanest person when his insanity fit so well with Tobirama’s broken pieces, but the fact was that his husband held onto his humanity by the thinnest of threads and Tobirama was the one that held the other end of that string.

“I promise Husband, I made an oath to stand by you through everything, remember?” he said softly and Madara nodded before wrenching himself away and darting after Touka to help the Senju set up traps. Tobirama stood for a long moment, eyes closed and just breathing, _please, please he can’t lose me again, **I** can’t lose him, I just can’t. (I don’t know what I will do if I do)_ before following them, there was work to be done, this last thing and then their future would be safe, just this last thing, this last thing that could actually hurt them (between the two of them they could make everything else _bow_ to their future, they had power enough for that in spades). 


	14. with a blade in her heart and a curse on her lips

Waiting for Zetsu to arrive sent adrenaline racing though Madara’s veins in a frenetic buzz that left him mind whirring with white noise, a thousand thoughts snapping and biting as he waited ( _He tips his head back and laughs to a purple sky and loves so much it hurts, Tobirama a warm line against his side. Then he woke and bit back a howl_ ); a thousand million memories of a world that would never come to be (it wouldn’t, he wouldn’t **let** it) ( _Madara thought he truly knew fury and he knows he didn’t when he sees Tobirama fall under Izuna’s blade_ ), a world that he wanted to forget more than anything in the world (or did he? did he really want to forget the days that he had spent falling love with the most amazing person in the world?). Madara shivered, pulled from the kaleidoscope of his mind – Rinnegan enhanced madness releasing him at the touch of a long fingered hand; “’Dara” Tobirama murmured softly, cupping Madara’s face in his hand, “Madara, come back to me, we need you to be _here_ with us _now_ ” the Uchiha shivered an turned his head to press a kiss to the slender wrist (he had done this before _he turned his head and pressed a kiss to the inside of a pale wrist delighting in the shiver is caused. Somehow if he ignored the blood and death this was everything he had ever wanted_ ), focusing as hard as he could on the absence of the scent of blood and grave dirt. “I’m here To’ra, I’m here with you” he whispered and Tobirama met his eyes, searching for clarity in the spinning purple depths; slowly the albino nodded to his husband, stroking under one powerful eye before turning back to the on coming fight. Madara shook himself, time to do something long over-do. (Time to kill the abomination that should never have been allowed to live at all)

Zetsu came on them in a rush of power and plant matter, blunt chakra force boiling out of the thing as it moved and meeting the sharp edged precision of Tobirama’s impossible control and Touka’s bloody focus only to be flanked by Madara’s tearing resentful claws of fire and fear (Madara _hated_ , he was good at hate, good at blood and vengeance and long held grudges but this? this was _wrath_ ). Madara leapt forward trusting Touka to keep the long range view and watch for the inevitable clones they would have to face before long; Tobirama paced him taking the place of close range fighter and letting Madara bounce in and out as his fluctuating eyes demanded as Madara trusted that his husband would follow his moves, would know when to get out of the line of fire and move through that boundless tides of receding chakra to follow up with a powerful strike as the plant thing was reeling. At first there was no doubt that they were winning, (gods of fire but it was blissful to fight as part of a team that worked so well together, a team that Madara trusted in a way he had never trusted before – Tobirama and he were unstoppable and there was almost no one Madara would trust more than Touka to have his back, not after the long days spent at her side as they carved their way though anyone that had ever hurt Tobirama in the future that wasn’t. Maybe they should set up teams like this in the future? Long range, close and medium, pairing power with precision and focus). But the idea of winning, the advantage that came from surprising a foe that had never expected them to work so well together or that they would already know how he thought and fought- for Madara _knew_ Zetsu, knew him better than anything and had given anything he knew to the others as they ran to catch the abomination.

Still, no amount of preparation was enough to given them an easy advantage when Zetsu was at full power and given strength by the goddess (and when they didn’t have Hashirama, Madara could admit that he had power but he never would have trusted the Senju to have his back and not get cocky and foolish – Hashirama had no idea how to work as a team in his arrogance and assumption of his own power and superiority) so the playing field was leveled unsettlingly easily. Madara had the Rinnegan and that was an overwhelming advantage but Zetsu…Zetsu must have been near the goddess recently (why had they had to do this so close after the full moon) and he blasted Touka back even as he unleashed his clones. This was what they had been waiting for, waiting for the moment when it split its power as it tried to flank them, this was the best moment they would have even as they had to keep their eyes open and watch their backs. Touka leapt to her feat and swung her naginata in a bloody arc sending clones flying in flayed chunks, Tobirama exploded forward with a fast (so so fucking fast) strike to Zetsu’s side as it split it focus- part of its mind still in the clones as it tried to separate them from in, still the hivemind for a few seconds- and Madara snarled, eyes aching and _burning_ as he called on the power of two lifetimes (two lifetimes and a hundred years to many), all the wrath and heartbreak and mad gore of the last breath he had never breathed – of the one he loved to insanity breathing his last in his arms as death claimed him _again_.

Power twisted, black fire and red illusion and dragon of fire and raw death slamming into Zetsu. The power that was so _so_ human no goddess or Sage could ever have comprehended, the power born of all the worst things anyone could feel, so antithetical that nothing of divinity could ever withstand it (enough power to kill a Sage had it wanted too), that power slammed into Zetsu and it _burned_.

_Burned._

_Burned._

Then – a gasp, a dying pyraxoms and Zetsu’s consciousness- such as it was- flickered out of the main body; Madara and Tobirama spun and the light caught on a blade that would have slid into Madara’s back, blood dripped from the blade and Touka wrapped her fingers around it where it entered her chest ( _she dies with a blade in her heart_ ) holding it close as her fingers closed on the clones windpipe, “Payback’s a bitch motherfucker” ( _and a curse on her lips_ ). Both were dead before they hit the ground (sometimes there are no goodbyes, no chance to say the things in you heart, no time to find a proper resolution, a rushed ending to a burning life).

Silence.

Nothing but gasping breath and snapping embers from dying fires, dripping water from soaked trees. Tobirama stared at his cousin, face blank and frozen (but – but – but -) Madara whined high and tight as he staggered to his sister’s side, dropping to his knees next to her and sliding the blade out so he could he turn her over (her face was slack with death, but her eyes were caught a triumphant gleam even in death – _payback’s a bitch_ ) and shove dirty hair out of her face with a shaking hand. “Sister, _Touka_ ” he rasped, choking and agonized; somehow he hadn’t thought, hadn’t occurred to him to think – but it should have, after all she had died in the future that wasn’t and the path of time is a powerful thing “Touka”. Madara lunged to his feet, spinning and darting to a still frozen Tobirama to drag the other man into his arms “To’ra, To’ra” he whispered, rocking them back and forth as his husband was utterly still “To’ra”.

(There is a stone, the oldest in Konoha’s cemetery; it is a simple white stone and on it is inscribed “Touka Senju, she lived as she died; brave, bloody, proud. All that would have been enemies to those she loved are now a threat to none but worms.”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is at least one long epilogue to this


	15. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, it's been a rough few months but I am trying to get back to writing even if it is slow! I apologize for the wait but here is the last chapter of this story (at last).  
> Also, thank you for the comments! They keep me going even if I don't have the energy to respond right now.

Hashirama looked out over the peace he had always wanted, the peace that he had not been the one to bring into fruition; this was not his peace, this was the peace of Madara and Tobirama, of the Uchiha and all that were their allies and the Senju were just another clan that had been negotiated with. The most powerful perhaps but still nothing more than that, nothing like what Hashirama had expected when he was a child dreaming on a riverbank with a little boy he didn’t know the full name of; would the child he had been have ever believed that he would stand in Madara’s council but not at his side? That he would never wear the hat? Would he have believed that he would be respected and loved and important but that his words wouldn’t be the last word on _anything_? Not when Tobirama and Madara stood at the front of the new world they were building. Not when though Madara was the one that wore that hat all knew that Tobirama was so much his other half that no action would be taken that Tobirama couldn’t agree with – not that they didn’t disagree but all such moments were so quickly resolved that it hardly mattered that they had ever even occurred.

There had been a time when Hashirama had envied that, had envied more than words that way that they never seemed to go anywhere without carrying each other with them; light and shadow, reason and power, passion and logic, always together in everything. So yes Hashirama had envied that relationship (why wasn’t Madara his anymore? Why not when they had always been to similar? Why was _his_ little brother not his shadow anymore as he had been for so long?) for a time; but…after a while he had seen what that meant for them, seen the way that their individuality blurred, the way they were so tightly knit that the idea of them being apart in spirit or mind was unthinkable. They were everything to each other and there was no room for _anyone_ else in the closed chambers of their deepest hearts; they loved others, family, brothers, students, but there was nothing they wouldn’t give for each other, nothing they wouldn’t sacrifice for each other, no madness they wouldn’t be driven to if left alone without each other and when Hashirama saw that he couldn’t envy it anymore. Couldn’t want to have that, not in any world, couldn’t want something that was so all devouring (that would consume the world if ever let out of hand, if ever they were left alone); he didn’t want that, didn’t think _anyone_ should want that, didn’t think Tobirama would have wanted that until he and Madara fell into each other and their love became a blackhole in their hearts – a blackhole on the cusp of turning supernova, balanced on a fine edge of almost cataclysm.

Hashirama shivered, it was lucky that the other clans had taken one look at Madara and Tobirama united and the way the Uchiha looked at their leaders with almost endless devotion (there was no Uchiha that wouldn’t have walked though fire and blood for them) and folded; no clan had wanted to see what would happen if they were seen as an obstacle, no one wanted to know what they could do together and so peace had come to Fire County- and with it the village Hashirama had always wanted- faster than he had ever imagined (and hadn’t it been a knife in the heart to realize that Tobirama had laid out so many plans to make that peace possible a long time ago? Wasn’t it cold comfort that Tobirama had never been anything but devoted to Hashirama until he and Madara had tipped into each other and consumed all other loves). “Hashirama” the Senju turned and smiled at his beautiful wife (Mito was everything he could have wanted and didn’t deserve), the wife he loved exactly the right amount. “Mito, dinner time?” she nodded and drifted to his side looking out over their new world “We are lucky that they are so willing to make a world that can go on without them. One that doesn’t rely on their power too much or Konoha would be easy prey when they die” Hashirama smiled, Mito as always knew exactly what was on his mind “We are very lucky for many things” he murmured.

Mito shot him a look and he sighed, “I worry about what might happen if something happens to one of them” he whispered “I don’t – if my brother died I would – it would _hurt_ Mito but… _my_ Tobirama died a long time ago. But if only one of the dies and the other lives…” he shuddered and Mito’s face tightened darkly, a mirror to his fear. “I don’t think you have to worry about that Hashi” she said slowly “I think that…I think that they have no intention of living so long as to see each other die.” He blinked and felt his shoulders drop; of course, of course they had a plan, this was Tobirama they were talking about! And they loved Konoha, they were setting the village up to last after their death, they _understood_ and there was no way they would ever let themselves be taken from one another, _of course_ they had a plan on how to stay together even in their deaths.

“Hashi…” Mito said, uncharacteristic hesitance in her voice “I – Madara-sama asked me to take up the position of Sasayaku, the second to the Hokage and the one to oversee the choosing of the next Hokage when the current one dies. I would – I would have the power to oversee the choosing of candidates that the clan council and village would choose from, and the ability to veto candidates” He blinked at her a heaviness in his gut “They – they said that I was never to be a candidate didn’t they. That was the condition on which your appointment rode” she nodded and he blew out a slow breath looking out over Konoha. “Ah” he whispered eventually “I suppose that makes sense” Mito sucked in a shocked breath and stiffened next to him “Hashi-!” “No Mito. I made my fair share of mistakes and – well maybe it _is_ better if I only ever have control over the clan and the hospital” he laughed, halfway between bitter and rueful “you didn’t know me back then but I, gods Mito, I made a mess of things and it’s fair that they shouldn’t forgive me, not with how much it effected my _brother_. No, I don’t blame them for that” he turned to her and her warm eyes “You should take the position” She sighed. “I suspect it will be mostly ceremonial for now, it’s not like they need advice and would listen to anyone other than each other. But when it comes time to choose the next Hokage it will matter.”

Hashirama laughed, “I’m just glad they’re setting it up to be less of a dictatorship after them” Mito smiled a little and shook her head “I’m sorry my love” she murmured and he looked away, swallowing a lump in his throat. “It’s..fair. I caused a lot of hurt. I don’t blame them” _anymore_ he finished in his head, there had been a time when he had been furious beyond words, a time when being frozen out of the lives of the two people he called his had driven him to rage but…Madara’s cold purple eyes flashed through his mind, no he had learned to listen and discard his ego, he had learned. Too little too late though it might have been.

“Hashi, come to dinner” he turned to Mito and forced his mind to the present, _this_ was his life now and he was just grateful that it was one where they was peace, one where no children were sent out to die, he would simply have to weather the cost. “Coming” he called and turned away from the village, from the world he would never shape and back to the one he could - the small world he and Mito shaped together. The village would grow and change and the power of Madara and Tobirama would be the ones molding it, but here in his home he had enough and he had learned his lesson, he would treasure this to his last breath and keep his eyes firmly on his family (as he should have from the start).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasayaku (meaning whisper - according to google, so I apologize if the meaning is way off) is the title made up because vice-kage sounded weird and too modern to me.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by sharked "'Of everything he had stored up inside he wanted to do with Tobirama and everything he had dreamed of when the nights were too cold.' Aaaaand then they open their eyes and find that they're in their younger bodies in the Warring States Period again. And then they use their second chance to get everything right and make out like bunnies while a very confused Hashirama and Izuna flail in the background. Right? *wink, wink, nudge nudge* That is a lot of sex xD Oh ... Madara will be so possessive with his lover. I wonder how Hashirama will react when Madara takes his brother without sparing him even one glance. OMG. Will Hashirama accuse his brother of re-destroying their friendship? Tobi will be so hurt, especially after what he did in his previous life. And Madara ... WOW ..."


End file.
